Arts Districts
Communities in Florida are using arts districts to energize neighborhood revitalization, stimulate economic development, and address the cultural needs of a community or neighborhood. Arts districts are designed to attract artists and arts-related organizations, businesses, and facilities to a specific area within a community. Similar to Soho in New York City, where artists turned old warehouse loft space into studios and apartments, today’s arts district strategies focus on providing opportunities for artists to live and work there. Although districts vary in size and character, a common feature is the provision of affordable space that can be used for artists’ live-work space, along with support facilities such as bookstores, coffee shops, studios, art galleries, supply stores, and performing arts venues. Lively arts districts provide opportunities for a full range of artists (writers, musicians, painters, dancers, sculptors, etc.). Local government strategies used to promote arts districts include:
- Implementing zoning overlays that allow live-work units and artist-supportive uses, such as galleries, either as a part of the live-work unit or as an accessory unit; selling abandoned warehouses, lofts, or industrial buildings at discounted prices.
- Financial incentives (for example, low interest loans, expedited permitting, fee waivers, and other incentives described in the Land Use Planning and Development chapter) for property owners who provide live-work space for artists.
- Special signage, banners, street lighting, landscaping, public arts, and other street-related improvements to define the district.
- Sponsorship of festivals and art-related events like gallery walks that promote and serve as outlets for artists and draw visitors to the arts district.
In support of arts districts, a number of states have passed legislation that offers a variety of incentives (for example, income tax deductions for working artists in a district, ad valorem tax reductions for properties used for art-related uses such as galleries and artist housing, and sales tax exemptions).
For more information on arts districts, go to the International City/County Management Association [icma.org]; Americans for the Arts [www.americansforthearts.org], which offers the Cultural Districts Handbook: The Arts as a Strategy for Revitalizing Our Cities through its on-line bookstore; Creative City [www.creativecity.ca]; the Local Government Commission [www.lgc.org]; and Partners for Livable Communities [www.livable.com]. 
