An arts center is more than just a stage, seats, bricks and mortar. It represents a branch of education — a reminder that Federal Way waters the public intellect’s fertile fields.
That said, Federal Way’s perpetual arts center proposal has been all talk and little action, apparently for decades.
A July 1976 photo from the old Federal Way News shows another proposed arts center. The 35-year-old caption reads: “This model of the $11.5 million Festival in the Forest theater complex, which will be built in Federal Way, was unveiled Friday at the Seattle Opera House. The Seattle Opera Association is presently looking for funding for the building, which will be built on Weyerhaeuser property. The three theater complex will be on Panther Lake in West Campus and will be the home of a 20-week World Fair of the Arts annually.”
Obviously, there is no Festival in the Forest theater complex in Federal Way. The proposal ultimately fizzled in the late-1970s recession. Today, that property at 348th Street and 1st Avenue is home to Winco.
A handful of Federal Way residents still carry the so-called arts center torch. Even in today’s economy, the project is making another run at reality. Three proposals for a now-dubbed civic center were submitted this summer. Stay tuned for updates as the civic center moves forward, inch by inch.
Arts are a critical element in economic development. 4Culture, the cultural services agency for King County, finds funding for at least 20 arts programs in South King County. The organization also backs the effort to build Federal Way’s arts center.
Much of 4Culture’s money comes from lodging taxes. The connection makes sense because arts and entertainment bring visitors who fill hotels.
Seattle will always be the heart of Puget Sound’s arts and culture. However, almost one-third of King County’s population lives south of Seattle. Federal Way has an opportunity to compete for those entertainment dollars and even bring visitors down here.
Speaking of dollars, let’s talk about arts-related economic development, or in laymen’s terms, turning Federal Way into a cash cow through entertainment. Consider how Austin, Texas, is known for live music. That city boasts dozens of stages and performing venues. Hundreds of thousands of visitors flock each year to big-name music events like Austin City Limits and the South by Southwest Festival.
Although the seeds for this success were planted long ago and allowed to grow, Austin’s example of success is no accident. Thousands of jobs in Austin depend on the music and entertainment scene, creating a positive cycle that stabilizes and enriches quality of life.
The cynical view is that an arts center will sit empty in Federal Way. However, an arts center is unlike the big-box store that leaves behind an empty shell.
The difference is pride because pride leads to attachment. Over time, the community will invest enough time and emotion into an arts center to make its survival a priority.
Everyone in the city will have a stake in the arts center, including cynics who dwell on the project’s shortcomings while ensuring nobody forgets how it cost $20 million. Remember, we need those people too.
