About the Creative District
Port Townsend named Washington State’s newest Creative District by the Wasington State Arts Commission!
On May 6, 2020, Port Townsend was named Washington State’s newest creative district by the Washington State Arts Commission. This designation is the culmination of a successful application submitted by the Port Townsend Creative District subcommittee last fall. The Port Townsend Creative District encompasses the Downtown and Uptown Historic Districts and the historic campus of Fort Worden. The designation provides resources, grant opportunities, technical assistance, training and networking, and tracks each community’s creative economy progress.
The Creative District spans the downtown and uptown historic districts as well as Fort Worden, a lifelong learning center and home to many of our cherished arts organizations and partners such as Centrum, Northwind Art, KPTZ Radio Port Townsend, the Port Townsend School of Woodworking and many more. Traverse the northeast tip of the Quimper Peninsula between these areas via our public trails and enjoy some of the most beautiful scenery and original Victorian architecture in the world; or pick up a tide chart from the Northwest Maritime Center and plan a trek from the iconic Point Hudson marina. On behalf of the hundreds of working artists in our Victorian seaport and arts community, we welcome you whole-heartedly and hope you enjoy what we have to offer.
The Port Townsend Creative District is a collaboration with the Port Townsend Main Street Program and our founding partner organizations – Centrum, Port Townsend Public Library, Northwind Art, KPTZ Radio Port Townsend, Key City Public Theatre, Fort Worden Public Development Authority and the City of Port Townsend.
Port Townsend is the sixth community in Washington State to be named a Creative District. Other cities that have received the designation include Edmonds, Olympia, Chewelah, Langley, and Twisp. For more information about the Creative District program visit https://www.arts.wa.gov/creative-districts/.
Creative District Art Marker Project
The Port Townsend Creative District’s first project will be to create a wayfinding project that celebrates the Creative District and links Downtown, Uptown and Fort Worden.
The project is funded in part by a grant from ArtsWA through the Washington State Legislature, and matching donors. The Creative District Subcommittee received eight diverse and impressive proposals for its Creative District Wayfinding Project. Artist Jonah Trople was chosen for the commission. Mr. Trople is an artist and graphic designer living in Port Townsend. There are two markers located Downtown, two markers located Uptown, and one placed near the entrance to Fort Worden.
These local businesses, property owners and nonprofits contributed to the required cash match to secure the grant: The Port Townsend Main Street Program, Centrum for the Arts, The Port Townsend Public Library Foundation, the Port Townsend Food Coop, 1st Security Bank, Northwind Art, Port Townsend School of the Arts, KPTZ 91.9 FM Port Townsend Radio, The Kuhn Building, and Key City Public Theatre. The City of Port Townsend has committed to in-kind services for this project to help with the installation of the art markers and wayfinding signage.
