Once again the arts and economic development are mingling in Snohomish County, this time in Everett as artists and leaders brainstorm ideas for a regional arts center.
When the Snohomish County Arts Commission came to fruition last summer, cultural leaders said it was about creating a voice for and on behalf of local artists. If a regional arts center becomes a reality, it could be about creating living and work space for artists and their families. It could also be another huge step toward revitalizing downtown Everett and contributing significantly to the arts in this county.
The city is fortunate to be working with Artspace Projects, Inc., a nationally renowned Minnesota-based company that went from the role of advocate to the d-word (developer) in a way that should impress many here (even those who hate the d-word). The company restores historic buildings and turns them into living and working spaces for artists and their families, pumping energy and new business into the area. Not only do the company’s projects “serve as a catalyst for neighborhood revitalization,” according to its Web site, but each Artspace project thus far has taken an historic building that wasn’t being used to its potential, if at all, and turned it into something magnificent. The company’s “nationwide neighborhood” includes projects such as the Spinning Plate Artist Lofts in Pittsburgh to the Tashiro Kaplan Artist Lofts in Seattle’s Pioneer Square.
Historic preservation isn’t what the company is all about, but that’s what its work produces. That, and projects that “generate a positive cash flow.”
Local artists, hundreds of them, must be itching for tonight’s meeting from 6 to 8 at the Everett Events Center. The rest of us, even if we can’t even draw stick people, should be excited and supportive. A thriving arts district not only helps our current artists and those who settle here, it helps attract people in other professions who want to live in an area where the arts, the outdoors, diversity and cultural opportunities converge. It’s all part of the “creative class” that helps diversify an economy and keep it thriving for future generations.
Historic preservation. Wise use of money to support the arts and our business community. The City of Everett and the county have a lot in common with Artspace.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
