State of the Arts: Spokane Arts & Building a Sustainable Creative Economy
Spokane Arts is launching a bold five-year plan to grow into a county-wide arts agency, expanding access, equity, and creativeopportunities across our region. The plan focuses on artist sustainability, public art and placemaking, and deep communityengagement and equity. Because the arts are an economic driver for our region, we’re building a creative future where the arts are an economy of scale, driving our collective sense of belonging, revitalization, and regional pride.
Brief Speaker Bio
Skyler Oberst is a nonprofit executive and civic leader dedicated to strengthening the creative economy and cultural landscape of the Inland Northwest. As Executive Director of Spokane Arts, hecollaborates with local government, artists, and community partners to expand access to the arts and advance equity-driven cultural policy. With a background in interfaith engagement and international dialogue that led him to posts at Harvard's Pluralism Project, the United Nations, International G20 Forumf or Interreligious Affairs, Skyler brings a decade of experience helping communities bridge divides through storytelling, creativity, and collaboration.