Welcome to the Sandpoint Arts, Culture and Historic Preservation Plan website!
This planning effort was initiated by the City of Sandpoint and as part of the Engage Sandpoint effort.
In 2020 the City of Sandpoint initiated a planning process to create its first Arts, Culture and Historic Preservation Plan. The City engaged Lakota Group and Surale Phillips to conduct a citywide cultural arts assessment, assess the City’s historic preservation program and policies, establish historic contexts for the City, make recommendations and set goals for arts, culture, and historic preservation. As with other City planning projects, community engagement is at the heart of the project.
Communities like Sandpoint understand that arts and culture contribute to community vitality in many different ways. With this Master Plan, the community will build on its strengths while identifying opportunities and priorities for preservation and cultural arts and to shape and enhance the City’s character and quality of life. As part of our planning process, the Lakota Team will explore the ways and means in which to implement a more comprehensive approach to preserving and reusing historic resources. For instance, how does Sandpoint leverage a set of incentives to promote property rehabilitation? What Sandpoint historic resources are not represented in the City’s inventory of Historic Districts and Landmarks? What makes Sandpoint’s arts scene special, significant, and unique? What aspirations does the community have for arts and culture in Sandpoint?
Project Phase 1: State of the City (Needs Assessment)
This phase will focus on defining Sandpoint stakeholder attitudes and needs related to historic preservation and the arts, as well as developing a baseline of information for analysis and decision-making. Phase 1 will also involve a wide range of private sector stakeholders and public agency representatives in determining preservation and cultural arts strengths, opportunities, aspirations, and desired results. This phase will culminate with the delivery of a State of the City Report incorporating a review and assessment of the local historic preservation and arts and culture programs, establishment of a preservation and arts and culture vision statement, and recommended key preservation and arts and culture plan goals and strategic priorities.
Project Phase 2: Arts, Culture and Historic Preservation Master Plan
Phase 2 will focus on taking the results of the State of the City process and recommended goals and strategies to the community, first with City staff and Steering Committee, and then to the community at large for reflection, fine-tuning, and final plan production.
The City has received several grants to develop this plan including funding from the Sandpoint Urban Renewal Agency and from the Idaho State Historic Preservation Office.
