1402 ARTS AND CULTURAL SPACES AC-1 CREATING AND ENHANCING ARTS AND CULTURAL SPACES

1402.1 This element guides expansion and democratization of cultural space by emphasizing how social, informal, and formal cultural spaces are interconnected as a system. This approach elevates locally significant practices, with an emphasis on practices that are important to historically underserved communities.

1402.2 Washington, DC's network of cultural spaces is strong and growing. Formal cultural spaces, including museums, performance theaters, and music venues, have undergone a period of growth since the early 2000s. Informal spaces, such as libraries and recreation centers, have been extensively renovated, in part to better serve as cultural anchors with spaces for displaying artwork, presenting performances, sharing learning, and creating art and cultural work. Social cultural spaces, including parks, open spaces, and private establishments, have also been improved and expanded.

1402.3 However, many new cultural spaces house commercial entertainment and organizations that provide attractions oriented toward visitors or Washington, DC's high-income residents. Despite the addition of new cultural spaces, many established organizations have faced serious challenges adjusting to the increasing costs of space and living in the District. Going forward, additional low-cost cultural production, presentation, and administration spaces are needed to support growth of locally significant cultural practices.

1402.4 Washington, DC is working to increase accessible, low-cost cultural spaces that enable cultural creators to connect with cultural consumers in a continuous process of imagining, testing, and scaling. This element envisions Washington, DC's formal, informal, and social cultural spaces collectively as the District's cultural infrastructure. Cultural infrastructure includes physical spaces, such as established theaters, shared-use production facilities, and public plazas, where arts and culture are produced and presented. The District has two primary objectives for this infrastructure: (1) increasing residents' access to cultural creation and consumption and (2) increasing high-quality spaces that support culturally relevant activities in historically underserved communities.

SOURCE: District of Columbia Comprehensive Plan Act of 1984, effective April 10, 1984 (D.C. Law 5-76; 31 DCR 1049 (March 9, 1984)); as amended by District of Columbia Comprehensive Plan Act of 1984 Land Use Element Amendment Act of 1984, effective March 16, 1985 (D.C. Law 5-187; 32 DCR 873 (February 15, 1985)); as amended by District of Columbia Comprehensive Plan Amendments Act of 1989, effective May 23, 1990 (D.C. Law 8-129; 37 DCR 55 (January 5, 1990)); as amended by District of Columbia Comprehensive Plan Amendments Act of 1989 NCPC-Recommended Amendments, and Closing of Public Alleys in Square 669, S.O. 88-452, Act of 1990, effective May 23, 1990 (D.C. Law 8-132; 37 DCR 2213 (April 6, 1990)); as amended by District Government Land Use Temporary Amendment Act of 1994, effective October 1, 1994 (D.C. Law 10-190; 41 DCR 5360 (August 12, 1994)); as amended by Comprehensive Plan Amendments Act of 1994, effective October 6, 1994 (D.C. Law 10-193;

41 DCR 5536 (August 19, 1994)); as amended by District of Columbia Comprehensive Plan Act of 1984 Land Use Amendment Act of 1994, effective March 21, 1995 (D.C. Law 10-235; 42 DCR 30 (January 6, 1995)); as amended by Technical Amendments Act of 1996, effective April 18, 1996 (D.C. Law 11-110; 43 DCR 530 (February 9, 1996)); as amended by Second Technical Amendments Act of 1996, effective April 9, 1997 (D.C. Law 11-255; 44 DCR 1271 (March 7, 1997)); as amended by Comprehensive Plan Amendment Act of 1998, effective April 27, 1999 (D.C. Law 12-275; 46 DCR 1441 (February 19, 1999)); as amended by Technical Amendments Act of 1999, effective April 12, 2000 (D.C. Law 13-91; 47 DCR 520 (January 28, 2000)); as amended by Comprehensive Plan Amendment Act of 2006, effective March 8, 2007 (D.C. Law 16-300; 54 DCR 924 (February 2, 2007)); as amended by Technical Amendments Act of 2008, effective March 25, 2009 (D.C. Law 17-353; 56 DCR 1117 (February 6, 2009)); as amended by Comprehensive Plan Amendment Act of 2010, effective April 8, 2011 (D.C. Law 18-361; 58 DCR 908 (February 4, 2011)); as amended by Comprehensive Plan Amendment Act of 2021, effective August 21, 2021 (D.C. Law 24-20; 68 DCR 006918 (July 16, 2021)).