Title
Olympia Armory Creative Campus Project Update and Anchor Partners Introduction
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
Not referred to a committee.
City Manager Recommendation:
Receive an update regarding the Armory Creative Campus and meet the anchor partners.
Report
Issue:
Whether to receive an update regarding the Armory Creative Campus and meet the anchor partners.
Staff Contact:
Valerie Roberts, Armory Building Manager, Parks, Arts & Recreation, 360.753.8468
Presenter(s):
Valerie Roberts, Armory Building Manager
The Bridge Music Project Executive Director, Bobby Williams
Capital City Pride Event Producer and Festival Director, Natalie Coblentz
Community Print Director, Kelsey Smith
Hummingbird Studio Community Programs Coordinator, Randi Miller
OlyFilm Board Chair Jeff Bearhand or Board Member Adeena Chamberlain
TC Media Board President Meagan Murphy Ross
Background
The City of Olympia is working to transform the historic Armory building into a new Creative Campus. The working vision of the Armory is to support the arts as integral to Olympia’s way of life; encourage community growth through creativity and innovation; use the arts to connect people, ideas, and place, while operating from an equity framework.
The programming of the Olympia Armory: Creative Campus will be achieved primarily through leases with community Arts Organizations (Anchor Partners). Key partners will be actively involved in the Phase 1 design process as well as integrated opportunities to seek public input on various design phases. Other key groups involved will be City of Olympia staff across departments, Eastside Neighborhood Association, and other representative groups.
In late 2023, an RFQ was issued for Armory Anchor Partners, noting “Armory Anchor Partners receive stable, affordable space from which to continue their mission to provide accessible art education, skills building, equipment and resources for community development at an affordable rate.”
Also: The ideal Anchor Partner will be strongly aligned with Armory partnership goals established by the City:
• PURPOSE: Anchor Partners guiding organizational principles must align with the Armory’s working vision statement.
• DIVERSITY: Anchor Partners must align with the City’s commitment to equity, inclusion and belonging, and collectively represent a wide range of artforms.
• LEADERSHIP: Anchor Partners must have clearly positioned leaders that identify and embody both their organization’s purpose and the Armory’s.
• PUBLIC BENEFIT: Anchor Partners must be subject matter experts (SMEs) in their area of expertise AND add clear value to the public.
• DEMOGRAPHICS: Anchor Partners must be able to clearly identify the community their organization serves.
• ABILITY TO SUSTAIN RENT PAYMENTS: Anchor Partners much be financially sustainable organizations that are prepared to rent space in the Armory.
Based on criteria including Mission and Vision Alignment, Facility Alignment, DEI Leaders, Community Breadth, Community Benefit, Collaborative Nature and Economics, the City of Olympia offered eight community arts non-profits with a strong track record in community arts education and training to enter contract negotiations to become Anchor Partners in the Olympia Armory Building and relocate their operations to the site with a long-term lease. These eight organizations applied to be considered through a Request for Qualifications and were selected by a community representative committee.
Organizations include:
• The Bridge Music Project: Through music, mentorship, and community, The Bridge equips youth with tools for self-expression and understanding that they will carry with them for the rest of their lives.
• Capital City Pride: Pride's mission is to create a safe and empowering stage to uplift, celebrate, heal and inspire our vibrant LGBTQIA2S+ and BIPOC community while being environmental stewards who create ally-ships with local businesses to boost our local economy and broadcast a culture of belonging and love.
• Community Print: Community Print is a member-run, community-supported printmaking studio and creative space that promotes an environment that values and supports every person in an atmosphere of civility, honesty, cooperation, professionalism and fairness.
• Hummingbird Studio: The mission of The Hummingbird Studio is to provide a safe, warm, welcoming studio space for artists of all ages and abilities. We offer, Classes, Workshops, Celebrations and Camps for artistic self-expression and creative wellbeing.
• Lamplighters: The mission of Olympia Lamplighters is to provide creators and artists of all ages and disciplines a space to engage, inspire, and grow together as artists and creators in an all-inclusive community.
• OlyFilm: OlyFilm elevates and empowers the creative economy by facilitating, promoting, and producing local film, while developing the next generation of filmmakers.
• PARC Foundation - The PARC Foundation of Thurston County is dedicated to preserving the vital green spaces of our natural surroundings, expanding and supporting works of art and artists in our community, ensuring all people have access to recreational opportunities and celebrating cultural activity in Thurston County
• TC Media - TCMedia provides communication resources to build stronger communities and is a local leader in media education, content creation, and access to emerging technologies.
Selected organizations will enter into contract negotiations with the City of Olympia to enter into a lease agreement for different areas in the Armory Creative Campus with the intention to move in for the Armory Creative Campus grand opening currently slated for 2026.
The Armory building is currently closed for construction to complete essential life/safety and accessibility upgrades that will make the Armory building a safe, accessible, and functional space that will transform into a community arts center. The selected Anchor Partner organizations will work with the City of Olympia and Ameresco, the contractor for construction, to help inform the design and construction process for the upgrades over the next two years.
In 2024, Partners will develop updated business plans required to enter into contract negotiations, identify leased and shared spaces within the Armory building, find shared programming opportunities and work with DES and Ameresco to assist in building design.
In 2025-2026, they will review and align business plans with the City of Olympia, specify and negotiate lease agreements, schedule, and perform tenant improvements on their spaces, and plan for grand opening in 2026.
Climate Analysis:
Through working with the DES Energy Program and Ameresco, all building improvements for the Armory Creative Campus will be approached through an Energy Conservation Lens. Because building use will change and occupancy will increase, we will most likely see an increase in energy use but a longer-term reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from the improvements to this building, especially as we commit to look for opportunities for clean self-sustaining energy such as solar.
Equity Analysis:
The Anchor partner criteria required each organization, leaders and staff demonstrate alignment with the City’s commitment to equity, inclusion and belonging. This supports the Armory draft values of Inclusion - recognizing that Olympia’s culture is enriched by many cultures and are committed to sharing power and decision-making with groups and community members, with an intentional effort towards marginalized and underrepresented groups which include people who identify as Black, Indigenous, People of Color, Immigrants & Refugees, LGBTQ+, People with disabilities, and youth.
Neighborhood/Community Interests (if known):
The Eastside Neighborhood Association has been a supportive partner in the Armory planning process.
Financial Impact:
There are no financial impacts related to the discussion. Contract negotiations will determine future lease revenue.
Options:
1. Receive an update regarding the Armory Creative Campus and meet the anchor partners.
2. Do not receive an update regarding the Armory Creative Campus and meet the anchor partners.
3. Receive an update regarding the Armory Creative Campus and meet the anchor partners at another time.
Attachments:
Draft Armory Partner Map
Olympia Creative Campus Concept Plan 2022