Creative District Planning
The City of Soap Lake Economic Development Committee is partnering with Friends of the Lower Grand Coulee (and you!) to establish a Creative District in the City of Soap Lake. Planning, schedules, and current tasks will be posted here for those interested in following along or being a part of these efforts. Please bookmark this page to quickly navigate back as this process progresses.
Creative District Update
Next Planning Meeting: See City News Posts
All are welcome to attend!
The committee has been meeting monthly since it began in March 2023, and we are making progress. There is still a lot to do in the weeks and months ahead. Community members, business leaders, faith organizations and other organizations are welcome to attend the meetings and participate in this process. Our next meeting will continue to focus on “Setting the Groundwork” for our creative district.
While volunteers have been interacting with business owners, organizations and community members, several questions and concerns have come up, so we’ll address a few of those here. We also encourage everyone to review the resources available from ArtsWA to gain a deeper understanding of the Creative District program.
How does the process work? The SLCD committee is following the process as defined by ArtsWA within the Application Guidelines and the Community Readiness Toolkit. There are 3 major steps along the way:
1) Meet the minimum requirements for application (this is the process we are in now)
2) Submit a letter of interest to the Washington State Arts Commission
3) Submit a full application (must be done within 60 days of the letter of interest)
Who is making decisions about the CD? Decisions are being reached through a process of consensus between the committee and the City.
What happens to the grant funds awarded by ArtsWA when received? Funds will be paid to and through the City to support initiatives defined in the SLCD 3-to-5-year plans outlined in the CD application.
How can a creative district help fill empty buildings? Creative district certification provides an opportunity for economic development which may motivate building owners to fill their empty spaces. Tenino, a city that isn’t much larger than Soap Lake, is a great example of how a small community can use this opportunity to encourage growth. Learn more by clicking here.
Excerpt from the ArtsWA website - State certification endorses creative activities in communities. It recognizes the potential for growth. Certification can help:
Promote our community’s creative identity
Grow jobs in the creative sector
Increase tourism and bring new visitors
Attract artists, start-ups, and creative businesses
Create opportunities for affordable housing. This may include live/work and maker spaces for artists.
Boost livability
Redevelop historic assets in our community
More details about how the process works can be found at the links listed here.
Additional Resources:
Washington’s Creative Economy – video about creative economies in our state
City of Tenino Creative District – learn about Tenino’s CD, their strategy statement and goals
Do you want to know what we’ve accomplished so far?
Click HERE to see our Committee Status Report.
Click HERE to see the Mission, Vision and Values statement.
For more information or questions, please contact the committee by email at creative.district@couleefriends.org.
Click on the image to download a copy of the Community Readiness Workbook
Please use the form below to ask questions about or show interest in being involved in the Creative District planning.