The Washington state arts commission is authorized under RCW 43.46.100 through 43.46.115 to establish and administer the creative districts program. Staff has authority to develop, administer, and manage the creative districts program.

A state-certified creative districts program supports communities to encourage economic and cultural development. The program supports activities that include, but are not limited to: Attracting artists and creative entrepreneurs, creating or expanding a hub of economic or business activity, establishing marketable tourism assets, revitalizing neighborhoods or preserve historic or cultural heritage, or other activities that may enhance and celebrate a community's unique cultural or economic identity as it relates to arts and cultural activities.

(1) Applications will be reviewed and processed pursuant to WAC 30-12-017.

(2) The application must be submitted on a standard form developed and approved by the commission.

(3) Application cycles, forms, guidelines, eligibility requirements, and review criteria are established and published by staff.

(4) The creative districts program manager serves on panels pursuant to WAC 30-12-030 (Panels) and 30-12-035 (Conflicts of interest in panels and program committees).

In order to receive certification as a state-certified creative district, a creative district must:

(1) Be a geographically contiguous area or other approved configuration;

(2) Be distinguished by physical, artistic, or cultural resources that play a vital role in the quality and life of a community, including its economic and cultural development;

(3) Be the site of a concentration of artistic or cultural activity, a major arts or cultural institution or facility, arts and entertainment businesses, an area with arts and cultural activities, or artistic or cultural production;

(4) Be engaged in the promotional, preservation, and educational aspects of the arts and culture of the community and contribute to the public through interpretive, educational, or recreational uses; and

(5) Satisfy any additional criteria required by the commission that in its discretion will further the objectives of creative district certification.

The commission shall make available electronically the approved application forms, procedures and processes and post to the agency website.

(1) Upon review of application for certification, the commission shall approve or reject the application. The commission may request additional relevant information at any time during the application, review, and certification process.

(2) Certification is based upon the criteria specified in RCW 43.46.105.

(3) If the commission approves an application for certification, it must notify the applicant in writing and must specify the terms and conditions of the approval.

(4) If an application is denied, the commission shall notify the applicant in writing within thirty days of determination that the application does not meet the state requirements and the applicant cannot meet the state requirements with the information at hand.

(5) Denied applications may reapply, if the deadline for accepting applications has not passed when all of the criteria can be met.

(6) Denied applications may appeal per WAC 30-12-036.

(1) State-certified creative districts shall use the state-certified designation when promoting their creative district, and shall acknowledge the arts commission as a technical resource and agency of support in compliance with certification requirements.

(2) State-certified creative districts may be eligible for resources as described in RCW 43.46.110(7).

(3) The commission shall require periodic written reports from any state-certified creative district for the purpose of reviewing the activities of the district, including the compliance of the district with the developed policies and standards. Written reports shall be filed a minimum of annually, and may be filed on a quarterly basis.

(1) The state certification as a creative district is valid for five years. Creative districts may renew certification after five years, in compliance with arts commission guidelines.

(2) The commission may revoke a certification previously granted, for failure by a local government or organization to fully comply with commission requirements. Disputes shall be resolved through adjudicative proceedings as described in chapter 34.05 RCW.