District Advisory Committee

Lynn Horton, Program Administrator, serving as both the West Sound Arts Council and Bremerton Arts Commission representative, is a former Mayor of Bremerton (1994–2001). Lynn brings decades of civic leadership and downtown redevelopment experience to the Creative District. In her wheelhouse, she guided early waterfront revitalization projects and remains dedicated to nurturing arts, culture, and business collaboration across the city. Lynn is a founding member of the District Advisory Committee. 

• Cynthia Engelgau is an executive committee member, bringing more than 30 years of work experience with the Bremerton Parks & Recreation Department, where she produced community events and youth programs that connected people through art, culture, and active engagement. A dedicated volunteer and arts advocate, she serves as president of the West Sound Arts Council and vice chair of the Bremerton Arts Commission. Cynthia leads several signature District initiatives, including the Fall for the Arts Gala and Auction and the Creatively Restored program. She is a founding member of the District. 

Irene Moyer, Director of the Greater Kitsap Chamber, provides fiscal oversight and business-community connections for the Bremerton Creative District. Irene has served the Bremerton community as part of the Chamber for the last five years and as an Advisory Committee Representative helps to align arts initiatives with the needs of local employers, entrepreneurs and visitors. Irene became the Advisory Committee representative in October 2025. 

Nancy Belanger serves the District as the Manette Business Association representative. She is the owner of The Weekender. Nancy advocates for small business vitality and neighborhood identity, and champions collaboration among local merchants, artists, and residents to strengthen Bremerton’s creative economy.

A. J. Williams works for the City of Bremerton, serving as a recreation program coordinator and the arts liaison for the Bremerton Arts Commission. She joined the District Advisory Committee in June 2025.  A.J. is an encaustic artist, and a native of Bremerton. Before joining the staff at the City, A.J. was a long-time volunteer at the Bremerton Parks and Recreation Department. 

Emerald Lessley is advisor at large for arts education, drawing her expertise as full time faculty at the Olympic College Music Department where Dr. Lessley specializes in musical theater and vocal performance, and is herself an accomplished performer. 

Alison Slow Loris is a writer and a Bremerton business owner. With Ian Logan, she owns and operates Vulca's Mediterranean Market on Quincy Square (@ the corner of Pacific Avenue and Fourth Street). Like the ancient Etruscan people who inspired their market, Ian and Alison love the arts as much as they love food. Their Market location features monthly exhibitions by local artists. They also host Poetry Open Mic Night, a part of the Western Washington Poets Network. Alison joined the Advisory Committee January 2026. 

Veronica Lund is the District’s representative for visual arts at large. As a Fiber Artist, Veronica Lund creates expressive canvas supported works and wearable wool felt art each drawing on her culture, vibrant colors, texture, and craftsmanship as a fashion designer. She is also the creator and producer of the FiTEX Fiber and Textile Exhibit.  Veronica joined the Advisory Committee March 2025. 

Eric J. Morley serves the District as strategic advisor-at-large, bringing decades of experience as a cultural organizer, artist advocate, and major event producer. He is best known as the creator and producer of the Krampusnacht Bremerton festival in downtown Bremerton, an annual holiday celebration that grew from 150 attendees in 2021 to more than 10,000 participants in December 2025. He is the founder of the Krampus America Convention...the first convention of its kind, anywhere in the world; bringing visitors and creative people to Bremerton, from all around the globe. Through imaginative visitor experiences and the establishment of distinctive traditions, Eric has helped position Bremerton as a festive hub of community life. Krampusnacht was recently featured by The Atlantic as the only event of its kind in the United States. Earlier in his career, Eric co-owned and operated Mod a-go-go, an art gallery and exhibition space in Salt Lake City, Utah, where he helped expand opportunities for local and emerging artists by creating an accessible, profit-sharing model tied to the city’s gallery stroll. Throughout his work—across galleries, commissions, and large-scale public events—Eric has focused on increasing the number of working artists and building sustainable platforms for creative participation with emphasis on the benefits of creative economies. He is a former chair of the Bremerton Arts Commission, an artist in his own right, and a founding contributor to the Bremerton Creative District program.  

Danielle Rimbert, representative of the Charleston Business District, is a working artist and a small business owner. Her gallery and maker's space, Rimbert Illustration, anchors the Charleston District with its studio and event space. Through murals, exhibitions, and art-based community events, she fosters a thriving creative corridor linking artists, audiences, and businesses. Danielle was the organizer of the Charleston District panel mural recently dedicated on Wycoff Avenue.

The District works to have the Committee reflect the demographic makeup of Bremerton and the Administrator is actively seeking representatives from various sectors, as well as youth members. Contact the District to express interest in volunteering on the committee or for other activities. 

The District works to have the Committee reflect the demographic makeup of Bremerton and the Administrator is actively seeking representatives from various sectors, as well as youth members. Contact the District to express interest in volunteering on the committee or for other activities.