Dissolve Arts Council

Overview

The County arts community is growing at a fast pace, creating an opportunity to explore a new organizational model for harnessing the creative energy and investment of artists and arts partners to accelerate the County’s Strategic Plan goals. The existing Arts Council structure is not conducive to nimbly advancing arts programming and education at the pace and scale appropriate for a community the size of Prince William. A privately operated model without a County administrative layer will narrow the gap between program providers and their target audiences. Therefore, the County Executive was directed to bring the Board a resolution at the December 16, 2025, Board meeting to dissolve the Arts Council, to be effective December 30, 2025. The resolution should encourage current Arts Council members to consider forming an independent entity that can avail itself of existing funding opportunities, such as the Arts Grant Panel and the Community Partners program, subject to meeting all applicable requirements. Furthermore, the resolution shall include a plan for transitioning Arts Council signature events, such as Arts Alive, Seefeldt Awards, and In the Company of Laureates, to private productions, with the possibility of County co-sponsorship. The County Attorney’s Office is directed to review the information and recommendations for any legal issues. When the resolution is finalized, the County Executive should add it to a future legislative agenda for Board consideration.

Supporting Materials

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