Highland Park Improvement Club

With a historic presence in West Seattle for over 100 years, the mission of the Highland Park Improvement Club (HPIC) is to enhance the quality of life in the neighborhood by providing an inclusive gathering place, hosting programs that celebrate diverse arts and culture, and fostering community engagement today and for future generations to come.                                                                                                  

A neighborhood needs places for people to gather and events that attract people to meet their neighbors. HPIC builds community, promotes resilience, and serves as a designated emergency hub. While art is what brings our members together, the relationships that are built as the community gathers allow us to weather turbulent times such as economic downturns, pandemics, and other challenges. We are able to fulfill our arts and culture mission at all times, while providing a center for mutual aid and resilience when times are tough.

Our goal is to preserve HPIC as a 100% community-owned asset, available to meet community needs in perpetuity. Located within a currently mixed-income neighborhood, HPIC believes it is critically important to maintain the heart of community connection that our organization has fostered. Highland Park has been historically under-resourced, with only convenience stores, very few storefront businesses, and few indoor gathering places within walking distance. As the only space of its kind in the neighborhood, HPIC provides a unique location and opportunities for enrichment and connection. 

The real and vital personal connections made among neighbors at HPIC strengthen the community. HPIC operates a hall for performing arts and education, as well as a place where families, businesses, and community groups can gather and thrive. As an emergency hub, HPIC has provided free meals and a food pantry. HPIC has fostered a loyal set of volunteers whose sole interest is cultivating a connected and vibrant community. These local leaders enable all HPIC’s programming, which is also made possible by the resource of affordable, flexible space.