Developing cultural spaces creates opportunities for artists and arts organizations, fostering sustainable economic development and a healthy, creative community. To this end, CuDC advocates for capital investment in sound, meaningful arts facility projects. Spearheading this cause since 1998, we take considerable pride in our many accomplishments. For example, the Deputy Mayor for Economic Development appropriated funds to initiate a Cultural Facilities Program administered by the DCCAH, granting over $400,000 in its pilot year. CuDC staff has been asked to participate in the recruitment and selection of future applicants for this program.

Currently, the Mayor and DC Council have initiated legislation to "provide loans, grants and other forms of economic assistance for the construction and rehabilitation of facilities used to develop, produce, conduct and promote cultural, artistic, recreational and education activities." CuDC has been asked to participate on a task force to determine what revenue-generating vehicle and processes will be most appropriate to effectively address this objective.

CuDC has built a reputation for successfully "brokering" space. We're a trusted voice when it comes to real estate development involving artists and arts organizations. CuDC is DC's clearinghouse for cultural facilities information, maintaining a database of arts space seekers that includes individual artists, arts-related businesses and cultural organizations. This demand-side data, gathered from questionnaires and site visits, combined with analysis compiled from the NoMa Development Strategy, steers our efforts to facilitate development of real property for arts uses.

We offer consulting services to developers, architects, owners, and other real estate professionals for developing space for arts uses — theatres, galleries, museums, dance studios, artist housing, etc. We also work with the District government, Main Street efforts, community development corporations, business improvement districts, and federal government agencies in order to match arts organizations with development projects. As a result, we stay apprised of available spaces suitable for arts users.

Learn about specific services CuDC can provide

See some of our recent clients and their projects