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Cultural District seeks two new advisory-board seats to expand Taste arts and neighborhood programming
Summary
The Cultural Arts District requested two additional advisory-board seats to help run larger arts programming tied to the city’s Taste event, including a juried art show at USCB and programming in Washington Street Park; staff outlined a process to advertise, interview and appoint members following ordinance readings.
The Cultural Arts District presented a request to add two seats to its advisory board at the March 11 work session to support larger arts programming tied to the city’s annual Taste event and to expand neighborhood involvement.
Council heard that the district currently includes representatives from USCB, the Center for the Arts, the Beaufort History Museum, the Historic Beaufort Foundation, the Greater Beaufort-Port Royal CVB, the Tabernacle Church and a member at large. The board said it needs additional members to manage two new initiatives planned for 2026: a juried art show and market at USCB and expanded programming at Washington Street Park.
Mitsy, speaking for the arts district, described the workload facing the existing volunteer board and said the neighborhood has offered ideas for a bandstand and daylong programming. "It is very exciting," Mitsy said about the neighborhood-led plan for Washington Street Park.
Board members requested one seat to be a representative of the Washington Street Park neighborhood and one seat to be a representative of the nearby Grama and Art District; the second seat was framed as an at-large position to maintain board capacity. City staff said the process requires an ordinance and that, if council offers a successful first reading, staff can advertise for applicants immediately. Staff outlined a likely timeline: advertise after a successful first reading, hold interviews in May and appoint as early as June following a second reading.
Councilmembers supported accelerating the timeline where possible and asked staff to publicize the openings. No formal vote was taken during the work session; staff said they will proceed with the ordinance process if council directs them to do so.
