REGIONAL REPORT
ELLENSBURG ARTS COMMISSION
Step 1: Share the value of the arts
Though it may seem like a chicken and egg situation,
we decided first to focus on how important the arts are
to our community. The Ellensburg Arts Commission
did this in a few ways. First we gathered influential
members of the community from all sectors and asked
them why the arts mattered to them, and we created a
video to share. We tried to show the council that their
peers believed in the arts too. We also, through the
Washington State Arts Commission (ArtsWA), discov-
ered a tool called the Creative Vitality Index (CVI).
This tool was developed by the Western State Arts
Federation (WESTAF) to aggregate figures from tax
forms (990’s and SOC’s) to show the economic activity
of the arts in a region. These two factors helped us tell
the story of the arts in Ellensburg.
Step 2: Find a champion, an ally, a coach
Finding someone who understands how policy works
and how important the arts are is tantamount to speak-
ing the language. The challenge wasn’t necessarily
to convince people that the arts are important; the
challenge was to find a way that worked in the system
of government that is unique to Ellensburg. It was
now Mayor Bruce Tabb, who suggested the source of
income. The volunteer arts commissioners would have
never known that it was a possibility. By showing that
the arts had economic benefit, tying it to an income
stream that resulted in a healthy economy, made sense.
Step 3: Listen and reflect
A major piece of advice from Mayor Tabb was to meet
and learn from each city council member to learn about
their interests, concerns, and ideas about how funds
could be used. From the content and ideas gathered
at these meetings, we were able to draft a proposal to
thoughtfully meet the needs of the city and to articulate
and support our mutual objectives.
Step 4: Persevere
When the final vote came, it had been two and one
half years since we initially asked the council for more
money. During that time we felt disheartened, fatigued,
and emotional, but we always felt that it was possible.
And now, since the funding stream has been enacted,
we have had the new challenge of being thoughtful
stewards of the funds and meeting our lofty objectives.
March | April 2020
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