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City seeks public input on refreshed arts-and-culture plan; adoption targeted for October
Summary
Arts division presented a refresh of the 2016 Artful Tacoma plan, focusing on three program areas (funding/community programming, public art/placemaking, stewardship), a May 15 survey close (426 responses reported) and a target adoption this October; staff invited additional review by the committee.
Rebecca Solverson, division manager for Arts & Cultural Vitality in the City’s Community and Economic Development department, briefed the Economic Development Committee on May 12 about a refresh of Artful Tacoma, the city’s public-art and cultural-vitality strategy adopted in 2016.
Solverson said the original plan’s five broad goals (grow the creative economy; promote equity, diversity and inclusion in the arts; use public art to activate places; strengthen the creative ecosystem; and optimize arts programming capacity) remain largely relevant, but staff are proposing a structure that centers three program areas — funding/community programming, public art/placemaking, and stewardship/administration — to improve clarity and accountability.
Solverson said staff have emphasized equity across program areas and added a new emphasis on space and affordability for artists and creative organizations. The refresh also folds creative-economy work into funding/community programming so staff can treat it as programmatic work rather than ad hoc projects. She urged a practical approach: "We don't want to plan for the sake of planning," she told the committee.
Tim Wilkinson of the Center for Strategic Priorities (an internal partner) described the center’s role providing strategy, equity and sustainability guidance and helping align the refresh with the Tacoma 2035 framework and other city plans. Wilkinson said the work also ties into community safety priorities and youth engagement, which informed the plan’s placemaking elements.
Staff reported the public survey for the refresh was open through May 15 and had received 426 entries as of the morning before the meeting; Solverson said staff will analyze narrative feedback and work with the Arts Commission and advisory board subcommittees before returning with a final draft. The department is targeting October for adoption — timed to coincide with Arts Month — and offered to bring the draft back to the Economic Development Committee for additional review if time allows.
Committee members asked about permitting and event activation (whether permitting could be streamlined with umbrella permits or playbooks). Solverson and staff said they are working with permitting partners and SpaceWERX to create playbooks, handbooks, and quick links to make activation easier for organizations and community groups.
The committee did not take formal action on the plan refresh; staff requested feedback and will continue community engagement ahead of the October adoption target.
