A new FC2 report provides a roadmap for standing up a designated arts and culture area downtown. Such a district would boost the local economy—by bringing more new residents and visitors downtown, and by creating new jobs and training opportunities for those working in the arts.
The report is the culmination of work completed by FC2 Senior Executive Fellow Robin-Eve Jasper and generously funded by FC2 Trustee and National Theatre Chair Sandy Wilkes.
The report’s recommendations include:
- Designating boundaries for the arts and culture district
- Creating an organizational infrastructure to support the downtown arts and culture ecosystem
- Undertaking joint marketing
- Addressing public realm needs
- Coordinating activations and ticketing around downtown arts and culture events
Progress toward implementation has already been made. A coalition of downtown theaters, museums and entertainment organizations with shared goals and plans has now been established. The DC government has endorsed the creation of a downtown arts, culture and entertainment district. And the DowntownDC BID has embraced its leadership role in this effort, including creating a staffed management level position to implement immediate next steps.
