Tucson adopts ‘Somos Uno’ cultural heritage strategy after yearlong public outreach

Mayor Regina Romero and the Tucson Mayor and Council voted to adopt Somos Uno, a citywide cultural heritage strategy developed by Lord Cultural Resources and local partners, after a year of public engagement and an economic impact study showing the cultural sector’s large role in the local economy.

The plan, presented by lead consultant Holly Shen, frames cultural heritage broadly to include history, heritage, arts, culture and culinary traditions. It was built on more than 1,700 public surveys, interviews, focus groups and a steering committee of local experts and community ambassadors.

“Somos Uno. We are 1, a cultural heritage strategy for Tucson,” Holly Shen told the council during the study-session presentation, summarizing the plan’s intent to inventory city cultural assets, amplify creative communities and use culture as a lever for social and economic benefits.

The plan organizes actions under four priority areas — governance and policy; creative placekeeping; belonging and cultural equity; and cross-sector collaboration — and recommends a governance structure inside city government to steward cultural heritage alongside existing partners such as the Arts Foundation and Visit Tucson. The economic and fiscal study, completed by John Stover and Associates and cited during the presentation, estimates the cultural sector supports roughly 52,000 jobs and contributes billions in economic activity and tens of millions in annual local tax revenue.

Council members praised the plan’s breadth and community roots. Council Member Bridal said the document “is like looking at a bigger mirror” for Tucson’s culture, while other council members emphasized the plan’s role in strengthening neighborhoods and expanding opportunities in the arts, culinary and creative economies. Mayor Romero credited city staff, the steering committee, and participating community members for shaping the initiative.

Council moved and seconded adoption of Somos Uno during the study session; later the council recorded the motion as carried by voice vote.

The adoption initiates an implementation phase that the consultant said includes a short narrative on current conditions, cross-referenced strategies and an implementation matrix of 97 actions. The plan’s authors and city staff said next steps will include identifying staffing and funding needs for a city focal point to coordinate cultural heritage management and implementation with community partners.

The council’s formal adoption places the city’s cultural policy on a strategic footing and tasks staff and partners with developing the governance and funding mechanisms to carry out the plan’s recommendations.