Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown announces plan to form new Office of Arts and Culture | Local News [Video]

SPOKANE, Wash. — Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown announced plans to form a new Office of Arts and Culture.

Mayor Brown and the Spokane Arts leadership have agreed to a six-month contract extension beginning on January 1. During this time, city officials, Spokane Arts, and the Arts Commission will work to determine which parts of the contract will come into the city office.

Mayor Brown also announced her plan to name Skyler Oberst, the current executive director of Spokane Arts, as the director of the new office once it’s established.

“Arts and Culture are the lifeblood of our community, and this move gives us an opportunity to double down on our support for creatives in all sectors,” Mayor Brown said. “By bringing the arts back into the city, we can identify new funding opportunities, give added stability to existing arts infrastructure, and find new and innovative ways to blend the arts …