After 18 months of planning, steering committees, community engagement and applying, the City of Issaquah is officially Washington’s newest Certified Creative District. A Creative District is a geographically defined area where art, culture, social and economic activity takes place and where cultural facilities, creative industries and arts-related businesses are a vibrant hub for the community.
Issaquah’s creative district is comprised of the downtown Cultural and Business District, Gilman Village and NE Gilman Boulevard and offers a wide variety of arts and culture activities, public gathering spaces and creative businesses all in a pedestrian friendly environment. The District is punctuated by community parks and public art and surrounded by the natural beauty of the Issaquah Creek and of Tiger, Cougar and Squak Mountains.
The Certified Creative District Program is managed by the Washington State Arts Commission: ArtsWA. The program is designed to help communities turn cultural activities and assets into economic growth by growing creative sector jobs, promoting tourism, protecting and redeveloping historic assets and boosting overall livability. Issaquah joins Edmonds, Olympia, Chewelah, Langley, Twisp, Port Townsend and Tenino as a Washington Creative District and looks forward to being part of this unique and creative cohort of cities.
Learn more about the statewide creative district program. Learn all about the Issaquah Creative District.