Celebrating Hawaii's Culture & Creativity with Karen Ewald

This week on the Team Lally Real Estate Radio Show, we interview Karen Ewald, Executive Director of the Hawaiʻi State Foundation on Culture and the Arts. Karen highlights the vital role of public funding in sustaining arts and culture, while also sharing details about exciting community events such as the First and Third Friday art walks. She discusses additional programs that community members can get involved in and outlines her future goals for the SFCA, including a new strategic plan shaped by community feedback, fostering more in-person gatherings across the islands to strengthen arts advocacy, expanding initiatives that connect the arts with mental health and underserved communities, and celebrating Hawai‘i’s Pacific connections through cultural festivals. We also have our Expert We Trust. Kyle Shimoda of INPAC Wealth breaks down the benefits of Delaware Statutory Trusts (DSTs) for real estate investors. Who is Karen Ewald? Karen Ewald is the Executive Director of the Hawaiʻi State Foundation on Culture and the Arts (SFCA). Originally from California, she relocated to Hawaiʻi in 2013 and has since built an impressive career spanning over a decade with the SFCA—as an arts administrator, museum director, and now leading the entire organization. Prior to her time in Hawaiʻi, Karen worked at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, overseeing programming, budgeting, and educational outreach. When she’s not busy championing the arts, you might catch her carving waves while surfing or experimenting in the kitchen with new recipes. The Hawaiʻi State Foundation on Culture and the Arts has been the state government’s arts agency since 1967, with a mission to promote, perpetuate, preserve, and encourage culture and the arts, history, and the humanities as central to the quality of life of the people of Hawaiʻi. The Foundation administers programs that bring art into public spaces, support local artists, and connect communities with cultural experiences. It also oversees statewide initiatives such as the Art in Public Places Program and the Artists in the Schools Program, ensuring that creativity and cultural heritage remain accessible to people of all ages and backgrounds across the islands. To reach Karen Ewald, you may contact her in the following ways: Phone: 808-586-0300 Email: hawaiisfca@hawaii.gov Website: sfca.hawaii.gov/