Vibe Creative District marks 10 years as Virginia Beach nonprofit cites $33.9M sales growth, 613 artists

Kate Pittman, representing the Vibe Creative District nonprofit, told Virginia Beach City Council on March 11 that the district established by ordinance in April 2015 has grown from a “blank canvas” to a concentrated creative neighborhood with public art, new businesses and expanded visitor reach.

The presentation said Virginia Beach City Council adopted Ordinance 3402 (Chapter 9, Creative Districts) on April 21, 2015, to establish the Vibe District and incentives for adaptive reuse and small creative businesses. Pittman said the nonprofit has raised $2,300,000 over the last 10 years and paid more than $600,000 to local artists to create public art and programming.

The update framed the district’s impact in economic terms and cultural reach. “Gross sales within the District have increased $33,900,000 in the last 10 years,” Pittman said, and staff work with the commissioner of the revenue and the real estate assessor to benchmark changes. The presentation credited a $56,000,000 increase in assessed property values, and noted the city recognized about $900,000 in increased annual taxes compared with the 2015 baseline. Pittman said the district now contains roughly 15 blocks of contiguous private commercial property and that maps and online listings have driven international attention — the Vibe mural map has more than 700,000 views.

Pittman reviewed the nonprofit’s structure and partners: the Vibe nonprofit (founded 2015) operates with one paid staff member, two volunteer boards (about 55 board members combined) and more than 200 corporate and individual donors. She said the nonprofit’s database holds more than 1,000 artwork entries representing 613 individual artists from 20 countries, 34 states and 33 Virginia localities. Printed maps are produced biannually (50,000–100,000 copies per printing) and distributed statewide through Visit Virginia welcome centers.

Council members praised the Vibe’s placemaking work and economic returns. Members noted the district’s role in attracting businesses, new events and national press and credited city capital projects — including nearly completed improvements to Eighteenth and Nineteenth streets — for making event programming viable. Several members thanked Pittman and the nonprofit founders, and the mayor called the Vibe “a point of pride” for the city.

Pittman also outlined next steps: staff propose ordinance housekeeping updates to the Vibe ordinance, a pilot mobile-business program, a “Good Vibes” paver walkway fundraising resolution for Eighteenth Street, and a year-long human-interest campaign; the council will have the opportunity to adopt the paver-walkway resolution this spring. Pittman said council will also be asked to consider a block-party-style anniversary event and a publication of a mural retrospective later in the year.

No formal vote or council action was recorded on the presentation. Council discussion consisted of commendations, requests for continued partnership and a general acknowledgement of the district’s ongoing work. Pittman asked for questions and closed by thanking council for the partnership.

Local context: Pittman said city support through the Arts and Humanities Commission and the Tourism Incentive Program (TIP) Fund has ranged from $50,000 to $210,000 annually and that the nonprofit leverages that support with foundation grants and private donations. She described a successful small-business matching grant pilot (2017) that transferred $75,000 to the Economic Development Office and generated roughly $375,000 in private investment; the program later evolved into a citywide facade improvement grant.

The Vibe presentation and the council’s remarks were delivered during the council’s regular meeting prior to later agenda items; no ordinance changes or funding allocations were approved at the session.