The Campaign for the Arts (CFA) is a private community initiative to raise philanthropic dollars that, when matched by public dollars already committed, will revitalize Bellingham's downtown Arts District by upgrading the District's two anchor organizations, Mount Baker Theatre, and Whatcom Museum of History and Art. Join the Campaign for the Arts and help build Bellingham’s future.

The project includes infrastructure upgrades for Mount Baker Theatre, the expansion of the Museum (including construction of a brand new building to house the art and children's exhibits), and streetscape enhancements that will help define the cultural district as a key community destination.

History

The Campaign arose in response to a set of objectives outlined by the city in its November 2001 publication, Bellingham's City Center: An Investment in Bellingham's Future. The City identified three priorities deemed “essential investments in our community [to create] a vibrant city center where people will live, work and play for the next century.” At the top of this list was the revitalization of Bellingham's cultural district, which the City Council declared “critical to a successful downtown and our community a whole.” One project that was specifically identified was the expansion and improvement of the City's largest arts organizations, Mount Baker Theatre, and Whatcom Museum of History and Art.

In 2002, a public-private partnership was launched to bring this revitalization effort to fruition. The Bellingham-Whatcom Public Facilities District (PFD) assumed project oversight, and committed a 2:1 match of public funds to leverage additional dollars from other sources.

To raise the required matching funds, Theatre and Museum staff and board members came together with a group of committed community leaders to form the consortium known as Campaign for the Arts.

In order to ensure that the cultural district would thrive in perpetuity, the Public Facilities District made the release of its 2:1 matching funds contingent on the Campaign raising $3 million in endowment funding for the Museum in addition to the total project capital requirements. Thus, the full scope of the cultural district revitalization project includes not only the Theatre renovation ($5.1 million), and Museum expansion ($16.8 million), but also a $3 million endowment to support the Museum.

Where we are today

The Campaign for the Arts consortium partnered with the Whatcom Community Foundation to provide fiscal management for the $8.6 million in funding it has committed to raise. The Campaign has already received pledges and donations totaling $4.6 million, putting it more than half way to goal.

Theatre renovations began in March 2008 and were completed in December 2008. Museum construction began in August 2007 and is scheduled to be completed in 2009.

More information about Campaign for the Arts is online at www.artsdistrictbellingham.net. Or contact Whatcom Community Foundation at (360) 671-6463 or staff@artsdistrictbellingham.net.