Meet Carm Pierce: Board Member and Champion for the Arts

We'd like to celebrate SCAAC board member Carm Pierce, founder and president of BUiLT Design, for his leadership and collaboration in bringing the Meyer Art Center to life.

From design to the arts

Carm and his family moved to Stanwood in 1999, and his professional background and love of the arts soon connected him to the local creative community. “Our work (at BUiLT) is centered in the outdoor recreation industry,” Carm says. “I grew up doing those things, so it felt like a natural extension of my personal interests.”

In 2021, he was invited to get involved with SCAAC. “I was approached because of my background in design and architecture and because I live in the community,” he explains. “It was an exciting project, something I could really contribute to.”

Why the Meyer matters

For Carm, serving on the board is about long-term impact. “I've always seen the arts as important and valuable,” he says. “They matter in education, in community and in the local economy. Stanwood and Camano already have a strong arts economy, and this project will strengthen it even more.”

He sees the Meyer Art Center as a catalyst for local artists, for young people and for the region:

• Artists: “It's going to lift up local artists and do a lot of positive work in the community.”
• Youth: “Our schools don't always have the resources for strong arts programming. The center can give young people a place to explore creativity, not just as a hobby but as a potential career path.”
• Visitors: “It can become a destination, something people come here specifically to experience.”

Making progress visible

“We're currently at $6.8 million raised toward a $13 million goal,” Carm says.

Carm and a team of BUiLT designers recently installed two large signs, each 8 feet wide by 15 feet 7 inches tall, on the exterior of the future Meyer Art Center. The panels track the capital campaign's progress and share the fundraising goal with the community.

“We debated whether to include the thermometer, but in the end, it's a symbol people immediately understand,” he says. “This is about letting the community know that progress is happening, and giving them a way to help build it.”

Giving back

Underneath it all is Carm's belief in creativity's role in shaping lives. “Art is expression, but it's also a pathway,” he says. “Encouraging creativity builds critical thinking, and that applies to every part of life.”

With his children grown and his business established, Carm is focusing more on service. “Serving others leads to a more fulfilling life,” he says. “It gives you purpose. You're helping the community, but you get a lot out of it too.”

Thank you, Carm! We appreciate all you do.

Learn more about the Meyer Art Center