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Supporting the arts and heritage in King County
Creation of the Cultural Development Authority of King County
In 2001, faced with diminishing funding resources, King County Executive Ron Sims provided the visionary leadership needed to ensure the support of regional cultural programming and services.
Recognizing that a creative solution was necessary to continue support of the arts, heritage, historic preservation and public art throughout the region, Executive Sims worked with Jim Kelly, Executive Director of the Cultural Development Authority and past director of the Office of Cultural Resources, County Councilmember Carolyn Edmonds and other officials on an initiative to transform the Office of Cultural Resources to a quasi-independent Cultural Development Authority (CDA).
The legislation to create a public development authority (PDA) and approve the transition was approved by the Metropolitan King County Council on Sept. 23, 2002.
Programs previously administered by the Office of Cultural Resources, including those of the Arts Commission and Public Arts Commission, are now the responsibility of the Cultural Development Authority. The programs of the King County Landmarks & Heritage Commission have been split up: the Heritage Grant programs are now administered by the CDA, while the Landmark Designation and Protection Services, along with the Landmarks Commission, remain in county government as part of the Office of Business Relations and Economic Development (the name, Landmarks and Heritage Program, has been changed to King County Historic Preservation Program to reflect the reorganization).
The reorganization has benefited the region’s arts and heritage community — as a PDA, the Cultural Development Authority is able to expedite the processing of grants and provide a better response time to artists who apply. The CDA offers operational efficiencies and access to earned and raised revenue that allow it to maintain services and implement new initiatives independent of King County general fund support.
"Our challenge is to find new ways to maintain services we can no longer support in the County's general fund," said King County Executive Ron Sims. "Arts and heritage are crucial to the vitality and quality of life…The Cultural Development Authority creates a new model for stretching public resources for culture."
A 15-member board of directors selected for their range of talents, viewpoints, experience and geographic distribution, appointed by the Executive and confirmed by the Council governs the CDA. Two council members and a representative of the Executive serve as ex-officio Board members. Funds for arts and heritage projects received from the county's hotel/motel tax and the "1 Percent for Art" revenues for public art are administered by the Cultural Development Authority board.
Meetings of the CDA board and advisory committees are open to the public. Call 206-296-7580 for meeting dates, times and locations. Notice of CDA board meetings and related activities of interest are posted on the Internet at www.4culture.org (external link) and published monthly in the Heritage Advisor newsletter. For subscription information, contact Charles Payton by e-mail or by phone (206) 296-8693.
Updated: June 21, 2003
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