This drawing included in Sealaska Heritage Institute’s presentation to the City and Borough of Juneau Assembly Committee of the Whole depicts what the area surrounding a proposed arts campus would look like following the project’s completion. SHI President Rosita Worl asked the Assembly on Monday to consider providing $1.5 million to the project. (Courtesy Photo | Sealaska Heritage Institute)

This drawing included in Sealaska Heritage Institute’s presentation to the City and Borough of Juneau Assembly Committee of the Whole depicts what the area surrounding a proposed arts campus would look like following the project’s completion. SHI President Rosita Worl asked the Assembly on Monday to consider providing $1.5 million to the project. (Courtesy Photo | Sealaska Heritage Institute)

Arts campus project asks for city funds

Will the city support it?

Sealaska Heritage Institute wants to build an arts campus downtown, and the private nonprofit wants financial support from the city to do it.

Rosita Worl, SHI president, presented information about the project to the City and Borough of Juneau Assembly Committee of the Whole Monday. It’s currently planned to be built in the Sealaska parking lot, and Worl requested $1.5 million in support over the next two years.

“We at Sealaska Heritage Institute are grateful to the city and the borough for your continued partnership, your leadership and commitment to artistic growth and collaboration,” Worl said. “Together we can continue to build the foundation for Juneau to become the Northwest Coast arts capital of the world.”

[SHI receives federal grant for planned arts campus]

After the meeting, Worl said it did not matter how much of the $1.5 million was shared each year.

“However the city can work it out,” Worl said.

Mayor Beth Weldon said the matter would be moved to the finance committee.

The Sealaska Heritage Arts Campus is planned to be a 6,000-square-foot project with both indoor and outdoor space for artists, according to Worl’s presentation.

The project would include an underground parking lot, which would offset the loss of parking that currently exists above ground. The plans also call for nine new surface parking spaces.

Assembly member Greg Smith said it would make the Assembly’s job easier if the underground parking was accessible to the public.

Worl said it was something that would be looked at.

Assembly member Wade Bryson asked how the property would be secured in its off hours.

Worl said SHI currently has cameras places all around the Walter Soboleff Building and works closely with the Juneau Police Department. Additionally, she said more security measures are being considered.

“Including the placement of security guards around our facilities,” she said.

The project is expected to cost a total of $12.75 million, and Worl said it is about 80% funded. Last year, it was announced SHI received a $5.6 million federal grant for the project. Other grants and donations account for the other funding the project has received.

Worl said a ceremonial groundbreaking is planned to take place during Celebration 2020, the every-other-year celebration of Southeast Alaska Native culture and art that will take place in early June.

If the Assembly ultimately approves the funding, it wouldn’t be the first time CBJ helped fund an SHI project. In 2012, the city OK’d $3 million in funding for the $20 million construction of the Walter Soboleff Building.

Worl said after the meeting while SHI is not a public entity, the Walter Soboleff Building is the site of many open-to-the-public events, and there has been collaboration with other Juneau organizations to hold events in the building.

During the meeting, Worl touted SHI’s financial impact on Juneau and support of local education. A McDowell Group study previously found in 2018 SHI added $9.2 million to the capital city’s economy and $10.4 million to the state economy.

[SHI means millions to Juneau, study finds]

Worl said the project would also help SHI work to further establish two-year and four-year Northwest Coast arts certificates and degrees with University of Alaska Southeast and the Institute of American Indian Arts and help with other goals.

“We will offer a space where the public can learn about Alaska Native and Northwest Coast cultures and enhance cross-cultural understanding,” Worl said, “and also establish Juneau as the Northwest Coast arts capital and an economic engine for the region.”

More in News

Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File
The Aurora Borealis glows over the Mendenhall Glacier in 2014.
Aurora Forecast

Forecasts from the University of Alaska Fairbanks’ Geophysical Institute for the week of March. 19

The FBI Anchorage Field Office is seeking information about this man in relation to a Wednesday bank robbery in Anchorage, the agency announced Thursday afternoon. Anyone with information regarding the bank robbery can contact the FBI Anchorage Field Office at 907-276-4441 or tips.fbi.gov. Tips can be submitted anonymously.  (FBI)
FBI seeks info in Anchorage bank robbery

The robbery took place at 1:24 p.m. on Wednesday.

Kevin Maier
Sustainable Alaska: Climate stories, climate futures

The UAS Sustainability Committee is hosting a series of public events in April…

Reps. Tom McKay, R-Anchorage, and Andi Story, D-Juneau, offering competing amendments to a bill increasing the per-student funding formula for public schools by $1,250 during a House Education Committee meeting Wednesday morning. McKay’s proposal to lower the increase to $150 was defeated. Story’s proposal to implement an increase during the next two years was approved, after her proposed amounts totalling about $1,500 were reduced to $800.
Battle lines for education funding boost get clearer

$800 increase over two years OKd by House committee, Senate proposing $1,348 two-year increase

A call for a joint session of the Alaska State Legislature to cast a vote that would reject recently-approved salary increases for legislators and top executive branch officials is made by State House Speaker Cathy Tilton, R-Wasilla, during a press conference Tuesday. Senate President Gary Stevens, R-Kodiak, rejected the joint session in a letter to Tilton on Wednesday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
House efforts to nix legislative pay raises hit Senate roadblock

Call for a joint session rejected by upper chamber, bills to overturn pay hikes may lack support

A simulated photo shows the tailings stack and other features of Hecla Greens Creek Mine under the most aggressive of four alternatives for expanding the mine in an environmental impact assessment published Thursday by the U.S Forest Service. The tailings stack is modestly to drastically smaller in the other alternatives. The public comment period for the study is from March 24 to May 8. (U.S. Forest Service)
New study digs into alternatives for Greens Creek Mine expansion

Public comment starts Friday on four options that could extend mine’s life up to 40 years

This image shows the Juneau Lions Club Gold Medal Basketball Tournament's logo. The club is looking for submissions of logos for the historic tournament's 75th anniversary. The winning artist will receive a $250 prize. (Screenshot)
Take your shot at a Gold Medal logo

Upcoming milestone prompts call for art.

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)
Police calls for Thursday, March 23, 2023

This report contains information from law enforcement and public safety agencies.

The Juneau School Board recently announced the three finalists for the district’s superintendent position: Frank Hauser, Carlee Simon and Thom Peck. The district is hosting a public forum from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Monday, March 27 at Thunder Mountain High School for students, parents and staff to meet the three candidates. Additionally, the trio will be interviewed by the school board on Tuesday, March 28. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)
School district announces finalists for superintendent post

Public forum and interviews scheduled for next week.

Most Read