Cultural Planning
Boiseans know that our city is special for many reasons, including our proximity to open space, our commitment to economic innovation, and our steadfast support for local arts and history. We express our cultural life broadly through creation and enjoyment of visual art, history, literature, theater, dance, music, food, architecture, media, design and fashion. It is through these disciplines that we can continually explore our quest for meaning within the context of growth and change. They provide solace and challenge as we find and sustain our connection with community and place.
Cultural and Creative Industries Master Plan
The Cultural and Creative Industries Master Plan is a tool for current and future leaders to understand the evolution of the arts communities and the richness of Boise's history. It looks at what we have in place now, lists what is working well and what isn't, identifies new opportunities, and recommends where we, as a community, go next. This is a pivotal part of evaluating future investment, that the community can participate in shaping.
Then
Boise City Council adopted the city's first Cultural Master Plan on February 7, 2017 - it is an overview of existing cultural resources and strategic vision for future investments. It is a tool for current and future leaders to understand the evolution of the arts communities and the richness of Boise's history. Ultimately, the Plan recommends where we go to develop an integrated, vibrant cultural environment.
The 2017 cultural plan presented five goals and measurable strategies that are necessary to fully develop Boise's lasting, innovative, and vibrant future:
- Develop Cultural Policy
- Enhance and Preserve Neighborhood Places
- Maintain and Develop Cultural Assets
- Foster Organizations and Partnerships
- Expand Cultural Resources for Individuals
Now
In the fall of 2024 Arts & History staff began the planning process for Boise's 2025-2035 Cultural and Creative Industries Master Plan. The first step was the gather feedback from artists, the public and creative organizations with a survey open from November 4 - 25. We received responses from 614 artists, 470 members of the public and 127 organization representatives.
In the spring of 2025, staff conducted nine in-depth listening sessions with respondents and anticipates that the resulting plan will be ready in the fall of 2025, after sharing key insights from the survey and listening sessions in the summer.
What is culture?
Culture, in a broad sense, is our collective beliefs and customs expressed through visual art, history, literature, theater, dance, music, food, architecture, media, design, and fashion. Culture is learned and passed down from one generation to the next. Innovation in culture often occur where different cultures intersect or new technology shifts our experience of the world and understanding of our place in it.
More on Cultural Planning
Cultural Planning starts with input from Boise residents. It is their diverse perspectives that provide insight into the depth of Boise's cultural scene and Arts & History staff uses this vision to shape specific goals. This participatory nature reflects how community members see and envision Boise's culture.
The City of Boise needs the community to help us communicate the importance of cultural identity; to encourage and support from private philanthropists, business entities and other organizations for cultural investments; and to understand that everyone plays a role in shaping a vibrant cultural life in Boise.
People in Boise champion cultural expression every day. On any given night, residents and visitors can find dance performances, art openings, festivals, theater productions, live music, or visual arts classes to attend. Boise's cultural network contributes to stronger neighborhoods, lo unemployment, and the cultivation of community character and identity.
Boise's love of art and history is no accident. It represents the intentional concentration of resources and investment by civic and public entities, artist entrepreneurs, community advocates, historians, business owners, philanthropists, educators, and advocates.
Boise's Mayor and City Council know the importance of place based culture in making Boise the most livable city in the country. They created the Department of Arts & History in 2008 to carry out the City's mission to enhance the community's quality of life by providing leadership, advocacy, education, services, and support for arts and history. This includes ensuring that consideration of Boise's culture remains an integral part of evaluating future arts and history investments, economic development strategies, and community-building efforts.
