The City of Soldotna is closing in on a master plan for arts and culture in the city, something that has been in the works since Soldotna won a state grant late last year. After soliciting public feedback this spring, the city is getting ready to debut survey results, and create a streamlined process for working with artists and creators in Soldotna.
Laura Rhyner is the Assistant to the City Manager of Soldotna. She said the idea for an arts master plan came about during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the city used COVID relief funds to help produce a live production The Little Mermaid with Triumvirate Theater.
“And then there was interest in continuing that program, and we kind of realized that we needed a better process or system for awarding arts and culture type ventures in the city,” Rhyner said. “And so there was interest in creating this plan, and there was funding available.”
The city found out about receiving the grant in December. Half of the funding, or $20,000, comes from the Alaska State Council on the Arts and other grant sources. A $20,000 match comes from the city.
Rhyner said that funding has gone toward hiring local consulting group Agnew::Beck to create a master plan for how arts and culture money will be distributed by the city, and how the city will support arts in public spaces.
In the past, Rhyner said, individuals have approached the city with specific ideas. But now its working to create a formalized process for seeking arts related support. She said having a master plan is a classic strategy for the city.
“We really like plans in the City of Soldotna,” she said. “We’ve got our Comprehensive Plan, we’ve got a Downtown Improvement Plan, we’ve got a Parks and Rec, Trails Master Plan. But we didn’t have anything to help us have a strategy for moving forward with arts and culture initiatives in the city, so that was the big goal.”
The consultants started by gathering public comment on the master plan, and by looking at similar programs around the state. A survey opened in April and closed mid-May, and asked community members about their desires and concerns when it came to arts events and programming in the city.
The survey asked community members what types of arts and culture assets they engage with, and which arts assets they’d like to see more of in the community.
The survey was distributed throughout the Central Peninsula area, beyond the boundaries of the city of Soldotna.
The city will debut the survey results next Wednesday, June 7, at the first Music in the Park event of the summer, where they’ll hear another round of public input.
“They’ll be an opportunity for people to weigh in on what we’re presenting, what we’re heard, and if it aligns with their feelings if they didn’t have a chance to give feedback,” Rhyner said.
She said the Music in the Park event is also a great example of how arts events can benefit the city as a whole. The popular event, which provides free live music in Soldotna Creek Park every week throughout the summer, is entering its fourth year. Rhyner said those events — a collaboration between the city, the Soldotna Chamber of Commerce and other groups — demonstrate how arts bring the city together.
“I think that’s kind of a prime example of where this is already happening in the community,” she said. “So the goal of the plan is how we can build on that momentum and make other opportunities like that available.”
The City of Soldotna has until the end of the month to use their grant money. Then, the master plan will move on to its next phase: a presentation to the Soldotna City Council, and then a vote. Rhyner said the consultants and city will present a draft plan over the summer, integrate feedback from the council, and then seek their final approval.
Disclaimer: Laura Rhyner is a member of the KDLL Board of Directors.
