Long-term County Arts Plan Available To the Public

Over the past 25 years, Arlington County has been recognized as a national leader in the support of the arts. The growth of such successful ventures as Signature Theatre and Synetic Theatre has been in part due to the support of county government, particularly the Cultural Affairs Division (CAD) of the Department of Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources. Since the creation of the CAD in 1986, the arts in Arlington have blossomed; however, the county board has recognized a need for an updated policy on the arts.

In 2009, the board charged the Arlington Commission for the Arts with developing a new, long-term strategy for supporting the arts in Arlington. The draft report, entitled “Arlington Arts 2030,” is now available to the public for comment, including a hearing held on Saturday at the Artisphere, as well as another hearing held on Monday night at the Shirlington Public Library.

The Commission is recommending changes in the grants program for the arts, increasing the overall budget, looking at a tiered grant structure that will recognize the differences in size among arts groups and ensuring that the beneficiaries of these programs would be artists and the overall community residing in Arlington. Facilities use, particularly involving Arlington's public schools, was another area that the Commission looked into and suggested changes to the fee structure and how the county can ease the use of schools for artists. Developing new facilities is another recommended goal, as more mature arts organizations are not likely to want to work in a non-professional location such as a school.

A major focus for the Commission was ensuring that support for the arts was consistent, funded and part of overall planning. The Commission recognized missed opportunities in recent years to expand the arts into diverse communities during school renovations and acknowledged a lack of consistent funding in the budgets. Dedicated resources for marketing the arts available in Arlington is another perceived weakness for growing Arlington's arts community.

Lastly, the Commission perceives a need for restructuring the CAD, perhaps even moving it out of the Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources department to make the CAD a stand-alone organization within the county government. A new structure could lead to better communication with private organizations and the county board. The revised CAD could also be free to be more innovative.

To see the “Arlington Arts 2030” draft report, visit:

http://www.arlingtonarts.org/Libraries/Documents/Arlington_Arts_2030_-_May_25.sflb.ashx

For  more information on Arlington Arts, visit:

http://www.arlingtonarts.org/