Seattle Culture
Cornish Students Plan Sit-In to Protest Kerry Hall Sale
Organizers say the protest will be ‘peaceful’
By Rob Smith April 23, 2024
Students at Cornish College of the Arts are planning a sit-in in to “bring awareness” to the pending sale of historic Kerry Hall.
The event is set from noon to 3 p.m. Monday, April 29. Organizers say it will be “peaceful,” and it is open to the public.
Two weeks ago, officials at Seattle-based Cornish announced that they would sell the building, at 710 E. Roy St. In the Capitol Hill neighborhood, as they finish their decades-long unification of their campus in the South Lake Union neighborhood. Most Cornish classes are now held in the college’s Main Campus Center and other buildings in the Denny Way and Boren Avenue areas.
The 31,900-square-foot building includes classrooms, studios, rehearsal space, and a large performance venue. It is listed on the National Registry of Historic Places. The 103-year-old building was the home of Cornish founder Nellie Cornish, who launched the college in 1914 and ran it for 25 years. Kerry Hall is named after Nellie Cornish’s mother.
Sit-in organizers say, at the very least, that they would prefer that the building continue as a creative hub for up-and-coming artists.
“If the building cannot continue under Cornish, students hope it can continue as a creative space for emerging artists under the direction of someone who shares the same vision,” according to a press release. They say their biggest fear is “that the building will be sold for commercial use, wiping out the entire history and legacy of where Cornish began.”
Follow Us
Seattle: Where Every Day is Earth Day
The city nabs a top spot on the nation's greenest cities list
Seattle ranks as the second-greenest city in the United States, just behind San Francisco. The study evaluated cities on sustainability metrics including air quality, public transportation, access to green space, and bike-friendliness.
Molbak’s Returns
Popular store launches community hub for gardening
Molbak’s has launched a new community initiative called Green Phoenix Collaborative at Molbak’s, which will transform the former retail site into a community hub for all things gardening. The collaborative will feature programs, classes, and events.
Historic Cornish College Building For Sale
Kerry Hall was the original home of college founder Nellie Cornish
The historic Kerry Hall building, at 710 E. Roy St. in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood, was built in 1921 and was the home of Nellie Cornish, who founded the arts college in 1914 and ran it for 25 years. The college was formed in the building and has occupied it since then.