This year, the front pages of The Beachcomber had more stories than we would have liked about Islanders struggling in hard times.

But if you only read the arts pages, you might not have known there was a recession at all.

Island artists carried on, with a prodigious outpouring of exhibits, concerts, shows and special events that made a bad year better.

Coming together, to share our talents in good times and bad, always feeds our minds, heals our hearts, mends our dreams and gives us hope.

And so, it’s worth remembering all that was accomplished here in 2009 — despite market meltdowns, job losses and business closures.

What follows is a list of some of those remarkable things — with the caveat that time, space and my own regrettable forgetfulness might make this roundup incomplete and imperfect. And who had time to sample every event?

1. Vashon Opera Company, led by the incomparable diva and artistic director Jennifer Krikawa, made its debut with two magnificent performances of “La Bohème.” Coming in 2010: “The Tender Land” and “Little Red Riding Hood.” I can’t wait.

2. Vashon Allied Arts made front-page news with its plans to build a new arts campus — complete with a brand-new performance space — on the corner of Cemetery Road and Vashon Highway. Will 2010 see the start of construction on the campus?

3. Tours galore — including a new one spearheaded by Vashon Island Tile Guild — gave us a chance to gawk at gardens, tile work, artists’ studios, fields of lavender, farms and even chicken coops.

4. Open Space for Arts & Community got its groove on in a serious way in 2009, filling its cavernous space with a plethora of exciting events, culminating in a standing-room-only audience for “An Evening with Berkeley Breathed” in December.

5. Island thespians rocked Vashon stages with plays, musicals and other theatrical wonders. My favorite shows were Drama Dock’s “Honk,” UMO Ensemble’s 20th anniversary staging of “El Dorado” and Lelavision’s “Musico Ballistica.” But I didn’t see everything, including two shows folks are still raving about — Lynann Politte’s “Eve Was Framed” and Stefani Priest’s “Between You and Me.” And it’s also worth mentioning that Vashon’s own variety show, “The Church of Great Rain,” presented monthly at Red Bicycle Bistro & Sushi by a talented crew of comedians, players and performers, came into its own this year.

6. It was a banner year for music. Luminaries including George Winston, Hans York, David Lindley and Alex De Grassi came to the Rock, but Island musicians also worked overtime, filling Vashon venues and parks with memorable shows. There was also a stellar series of five free world music concerts produced this summer by Vashon Folkdancers and Vashon Park District, and Vashon Allied Art produced its annual World Music Festival at Camp Burton. Choral music flourished under Gary Cannon’s superb leadership of Vashon Island Chorale, and the Free Range Folk Choir sprang up, led by Shane Jewell. It was also a strong year for chamber music, thanks to Karin Choo, who directs Vashon-Maury Island Chamber Orchestra, and Rowena Hammill and Douglas Davis, who spearheaded a new chamber music series at the Blue Heron. My pick for a musical hero of the year? Pete Welch, the unassuming impresario — “promoter” and “music booker” are not fancy enough words to describe what he does — who filled the Red Bicycle with music all year long, starting with a blistering New Year’s Eve concert by Ian Moore and his band. Ask Welch what his favorite show of the year was, and he’ll tell you about a summer night when reggae legend Clinton Fearon played a packed show and joyous dancers spilled out on the street. There were a bunch of those kinds of nights at the Bike this year. Thanks, Pete.

7. And who could forget “Viva Vashonistas,” which brought together Island apparel designers, fabric artists and jewelers for a night that included a runway fashion show, circus art performances and live music? Wow!

8. It was a great year for literary arts. The first-ever Vashon Poetry Festival was a hit, thanks to its hard-working group of organizers. Poetry open mics kept Café Luna popping, while a new lecture series at the Blue Heron featured giants of the Northwest’s literary and cultural scene. And all year long, Vashon authors and those from the mainland delighted Islanders with readings at our wonderful local book stores.

9. Visual art adorned Vashon’s galleries all year long. My favorite shows? OK, I’ll bite. Art Hansen’s show at Blue Heron. Ted Kutscher’s exhibit at Silverwood. At VALISE, it was a toss-up between Matthew Olds and Heather Joy’s show in July and Adam Cone and Heather Timkin’s exhibits in December. At Two Wall/Shady Lady, I really liked Greg Wessel’s meticulously curated “Geo sapiens, Geology and Art,” and Martin Koenig’s photography show, “Voices and Images from Bulgaria, 1966-1979.” At the Hardware Store Restaurant, I swooned over Pam Ingall’s “Dear Abby” show. And last but not least, two Vashon-centric photography shows highlighted the beauty of this particular spot — “Island Waters” at the Hardware Store, and “Inner Vashon, An Outer View” at the Blue Heron.

10. Vashon Theatre bustled with blockbusters, independent films, community events and more. It was even opened up, with a live television feed, for what had to be one of the most rollicking group celebrations ever on the Island — Barack Obama’s inauguration. My favorite movies of 2009 were “Ponyo” and “Where the Wild Things Are.” But my prize for the bravest business owner goes to Vashon Theatre’s Eileen Wolcott. And I think the entire Island should make a collective New Year’s resolution to see at least two movies a month at our beloved hometown theater. And buy lots of popcorn.

11. Finally, I want to note those spontaneous moments of artistry that come at us seemingly out of nowhere to remind us what a special place this is. I’m talking about hearing Adrienne Mildon play the piano or driving by Lou Engels’ gas station on a cold December night and seeing his tow truck tricked out in a stunning display of lights. I’m talking about the way Randy Bruce plays the fiddle and the dancers who work so hard in classes at the Blue Heron, Vashon Dance Academy and Vashon Junior Civic Ballet. I’m talking about the breathtaking artistry of Backbone Campaign’s banners and giant puppets and the way that Island samba dancers shimmy down Vashon Highway during Strawberry Festival. Bravo, Island artists, one and all.

— Elizabeth Shepherd is The Beachcomber’s arts editor.