Orange County commissioners accept 10-year 'Canvas' cultural plan to expand arts access

The Orange County Board of County Commissioners on Sept. 16 accepted Canvas, a 10-year cultural plan developed in partnership with the City of Orlando and consulting firm Cultural Planning Group, directing county staff to begin annual implementation steps and early-year priorities.

Canvas sets six goals to broaden residents’ access to arts and culture, strengthen arts organizations and artists, expand cultural infrastructure, and position Orange County as a national creative leader. The plan was presented by Vicky Landon, administrator for the county Arts & Cultural Affairs Office, and consultants Linda Flynn, PhD, and David Pletner Saunders of Cultural Planning Group.

The plan is intended as a countywide road map rather than a fixed 10-year budget. Linda Flynn, PhD, told commissioners that Canvas “charts a 10-year path forward” and is built on three foundational beliefs: that the arts belong to everyone, that the county is already a creative center, and that investments should strengthen existing assets while expanding access. The plan’s authors reported outreach to more than 1,500 residents across every city district and roughly 55 public meetings, plus an online survey that reached about 1,000 respondents.

Key recommendations include strengthening supports for individual artists and creative workforce development, updating zoning and incentives so developers integrate public art and cultural spaces, expanding partnerships with libraries and community centers to distribute arts programming across under-resourced neighborhoods, and increasing general operating support and capacity-building for smaller cultural nonprofits. David Pletner Saunders said the plan recommends “working with community service centers” and programs such as Culture Pass to remove financial barriers to participation.

Commissioners praised the plan’s countywide approach and emphasis on access. “Public art is for everyone,” said Commissioner Wilson. Commissioner Moore, who cited school-based arts initiatives she helped sponsor, said the plan could extend similar benefits to neighborhoods that have not historically had arts programming. Commissioners pressed for continued partnerships with Orange County Public Schools and for specificity in early-year implementation and funding, and Landon said the county will deliver annual implementation guides and an update in her office’s annual “state of the arts” presentation.

The board voted to accept the Canvas cultural plan by motion of Commissioner Gomez Cordero, seconded by Commissioner Wilson. The vote was recorded as unanimous.

The county office said the plan will be implemented through a combination of annual work plans, partnerships with the City of Orlando and local nonprofits, and periodic evaluation to prioritize achievable “wins” in years 1–2 while phasing larger infrastructure items later in the decade. Landon and consultants identified opportunities to align Canvas with other local strategies including Visit Orlando and the Central Florida Foundation’s initiatives.

Next steps include establishing a Canvas implementation committee drawn from the plan’s steering committee and the county’s Arts & Cultural Affairs Advisory Council, producing the first annual implementation guide, and returning periodic progress reports to the Board of County Commissioners.

Votes at a glance: The board accepted Canvas by unanimous voice vote; motion by Commissioner Gomez Cordero, second by Commissioner Wilson. The board's six members recorded no opposing votes.