All Access Whatcom
Project Mission:
To provide greater and equal opportunities for all to arts, heritage, and science throughout Whatcom County.
Project Overview:
All Access Whatcom is a proposed publicly funded program that could expand community access to cultural programs in STEM, heritage, and the arts through a 0.1% increased sales or equal amount through property tax. In Whatcom County, it is estimated that $6.3 million per year through sales tax could be raised for All Access with a little under 60% of funds coming from Bellingham residents ($3.7 million). This tax increase would provide funds to increase public access to cultural activities, expand cultural education activities for public school students, and provide sustainable funding for not-for-profit science, heritage, and arts organizations.
Project Objectives:
- Opportunities for building cultural infrastructure for our underserved and rural communities. Outcome: Building positive community programs, connections and quality of life through enrichment and exposure.
- Academic success and meaningful experiences for students both in and out of school. Outcome: Improved educational opportunities through field trips, hands on experiences and creative outlets
- Driving economic growth on mainstreets due to event based programming. Outcome: Thriving communities and local businesses.
- Increase accessibility: Improve elements such as access to technology, ADA accessibility, admissions fees, transportation issues, translations. Outcome: Opportunities for underserved communities to be able to participate.
- Sustainable funding for quality enriching cultural nonprofit programs. Outcome: Improving the outreach and capacity for our high quality organizations.
Possible Fundable Opportunities:
- New cultural experience and spaces in our rural towns and unincorporated areas.
- Educational field trips to exhibits and live performances
- Increase public transportation and reduced admission fees to festivals and community activities throughout the county.
Information about Cultural Access in Washington State:
- About Cultural Access WA: https://inspirationleague.org/cultural-access
- WA State RCW for Cultural Access Washington: Chapter 36.160 RCW: CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS (wa.gov)
- Click here for Doors Open King County
- Click here for Inspire Olympia
- Click here for Tacoma Creates
Organizations and Individuals in Support of All Access Whatcom
Add your name to this list of supporters by clicking here.
- Bellingham Symphony Orchestra – Gail Ridenour
- Allied Arts of Whatcom County – Kelly Hart
- Pickford Film Center – Susie Purvis
- BAAY (Bellingham Arts Academy for Youth) – Mikyn Sygitowicz
- Whatcom County Public School Elementary Music Teacher – Gail Ridenour
- Bellingham Seafeast – Kevin Coleman
- Shift Art Space – Jessyca Murphy
- CASCADIA International Women’s Film Festival- Cheryl Crooks
- Make Art. Make a Difference – Valerie Dalena
- Barbara Ryan
- Mount Baker Theatre – John Purdie, Executive Director
- Meloy Gallery – Rebecca Meloy
- Shift Art Space – Jessyca Murphy, Executive Director
- Shift Art Space – Riley Currie
- BAAY – Juliette Machado, Executive Director
- Setting Sun Institute – Natasha Frey
- Creative Arts & Worship, Hillcrest Church – Mary Margaret Brotherton, Assoc. Director
- Abby Whatley
- P. Board Member and Teaching Artist of Allied Arts and Artist/Teacher at Rachel’s Whimsical Art – Rachel Simpson
- Allied Arts Board Member – Mary Vermillion
- Spark Board Member – Annette Bagley
- Shift – Riley Currie
For more info:
Contact Kelly Hart at kelly@alliedarts.org