CULTURAL ACCESS WASHINGTON Is Coming!

Do you favor giving more people more opportunities to connect with arts and culture?

From arts to zoos, our great cultural institutions make this state a incredible place to live, work, and play. Seattle Opera has joined Cultural Access Washington, a coalition of groups from around the state in support of new legislation that will increase access to cultural experiences at arts organizations, museums, science centers, zoos, and more.

Funds would be used to provide cultural education programs for students and residents, and to pay for school transportation to these venues.

Please help us in this effort! To read and sign the letter of support, CLICK HERE and provide your name, organization (if appropriate), and preferred email address.

Joining Seattle Opera in Cultural Access Washington are organizations such as:

• 5th Avenue Theatre
• ACT Theatre
• ArtsFund
• Bainbridge Island Museum of Art
• Book-It Repertory Theatre
• Broadway Center
• Burke Museum
• Center for Wooden Boats
• Edmonds Center for the Arts
• EMP Museum
• Frye Art Museum
• Henry Art Gallery
• Kids Quest Discovery Museum
• Kirkland Performance Center
• MOHAI
• Museum of Flight
• Museum of Glass
• Pacific Northwest Ballet
• Pacific Science Center
• Seattle Aquarium
• Seattle Art Museum
• Seattle Children's Museum
• Seattle Children's Theatre
• Seattle Repertory Theatre
• Seattle Shakespeare Company
• Seattle Symphony
• Seattle Theatre Group
• Spokane Arts Fund
• Tacoma Art Museum
• Tacoma Symphony
• Taproot Theatre
• Tateuchi Center
• Town Hall
• Village Theatre
• Woodland Park Zoo

This initiative is modeled after other successful programs, in which legislation gives voters a tool to ensure the preservation and stability of these cultural institutions. For instance, some communities have adopted legislation authorizing the use of special tax districts. St. Louis, Missouri established the first such district in 1969, using its funds to support the art museum, the zoo and the museum of science. For 23 years, the seven-county Denver, Colorado metropolitan area has distributed approximately $40 million annually to scientific and cultural organizations through the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District.

This legislation has been so popular, in Denver, the community has re-approved their levy with higher and higher majorities each time. And hey--if Denver can do it, so can we!

Photo of "Cinderella's Ball" Open House by Robert Wade