Sustainability and Arts & Culture

Our lively, dynamic arts and culture environment keeps Orange County a leading place to work and play. Art and culture helps to attract and retain creative industries and can inspire creativity and innovation in businesses. It can build bridges between the diverse elements of our communities and enhance the tourism experience of international guests and domestic visitors.

Involvement Opportunities

Sculpture on the Orange County administrative building lawn at night

Progress on our goals & strategies

Goal 21: Our Arts Organizations Are Well-Established And Stable

Arts & Culture Progress Table, Goal 21
	Strategy	Time Frame	Strategy Progress Information for 2017	Progress
1.	Restore contributions from Orange County's general fund to $1 per capita	Long	Request made by Arts & Cultural Affairs Advisory Council.	25% complete
2.	Dedicate at least $2 million from TDT revenue to renovate, repair, and build cultural facilities	Medium	Some additional funding was provided.	75% complete
3.	Create an incubator fund/program to support growth of culturally diverse organizations and initiatives	Long	No change in this reporting period.	0% complete

Goal 22: Cultural Events And Venues Are Well Attended

Arts & Culture Progress Table, Goal 21
	Strategy	Time Frame	Strategy Progress Information for 2017	Progress
1.	Restore contributions from Orange County's general fund to $1 per capita	Long	Request made by Arts & Cultural Affairs Advisory Council.	25% complete
2.	Dedicate at least $2 million from TDT revenue to renovate, repair, and build cultural facilities	Medium	Some additional funding was provided.	75% complete
3.	Create an incubator fund/program to support growth of culturally diverse organizations and initiatives	Long	No change in this reporting period.	0% complete

Goal 23: Our Cultural Reputation Is International

Arts & Culture Progress Table, Goal 23
	Strategy	Time Frame	Strategy Progress Information for 2017	Progress
1.	Host large-scale, blockbuster events	Medium	Work towards an event called Fusion Fest has commenced.	50% complete
2.	Support noteworthy public art	Long	This is an on-going effort with a special note for this year: the "Under Magnitude" sculpture at the Convention Center won international awards.	100% complete
3.	Build architecturally significant cultural venues and government buildings	Long	No change in this reporting period.	50% complete

Goal 24: Arts Education Is Excellent

Arts & Culture Progress Table, Goal 24
	Strategy	Time Frame	Strategy Progress Information for 2017	Progress
1.	Turn STEM to STEAM—recognize the arts as an essential component of curriculum	Long	No change in this reporting period.	75% complete
2.	Attract top-tier art educators	Long	No change in this reporting period.	75% complete
3.	Expose students to professional-levels arts, in school and off campus	Long	No change in this reporting period.	75% complete

Goal 25: The Arts Support Environmental Sustainability

Arts & Culture Progress Table, Goal 25
	Strategy	Time Frame	Strategy Progress Information for 2017	Progress
1.	Use artistic solutions to solve environmental problems	Long	'Street Art' effort in Pine Hills to paint traffic boxes make intersections more aesthetically pleasing.	25% complete
2.	Create an ordinance to preserve historic structures and places	Medium	No change in this reporting period.	25% complete
3.	Engage the community in using sustainable approaches to facilities and events	Medium	Arts organizations continue to be aware and committed.	50% complete

Our Target Measurements

This table describes how Orange County measures progress on our Sustainability goals.
Arts & Culture Indicators	Baseline	1^st Report	2^nd Report	Current	Target 2020
Recurring Predictable Funding	FY 2010 $2,266,000	FY 2015 $4,805,000	FY 2016 $3,799,000	FY 2017 $4,900,000	3% of the 1st 4 cents of the Tourist Development Tax
Average Cash Reserves (days)	FY 2010 69 days	No data available	FY 2016 92 days for UA-funded orgs 82 days for 15 large-budget orgs	FY 2017 82 days for UA-funded orgs 57 days for 15 large-budget orgs	90 days
Annual attendance to arts and cultural events	FY 2010 3.5 Million	FY 2010 3.5 Million	FY 2016 3.3 Million	FY 2017 3.7 Million	5 million
OCPS schools have Certified Visual and/or Performing Arts (VPA) Teachers	2010-2011 533 VPA teachers 6 schools without	No data available	2015-2016 650 VPA teachers 0 schools without	2016-2017 708 VPA teachers 0 schools without	At least one per school

Want to get involved?

Maintaining and enhancing Orange County’s position as a leader in arts and cultural attractions will provide vibrant experiences for both local residents and the millions of tourists who support our economy. See the many offerings we have throughout the County.

Take it all in!

Choir singing in the middle of a stadium

Be inspired by performances in dance, music and theater. You’ll find amazing entertainment around the County for a variety of interests. The energy, enthusiasm and creativity will make you want to visit again and again.

Discover Public Art

Sculpture on the Orange County administrative building lawn

Visit the many pieces of public art around the County and educational exhibits. Plus, there are exciting festivals throughout the year celebrating the talents and cultures of our residents.

Making History

Children standing for a photo in front of the Orange County Regional History Center

The Orange County Regional History Center is a place where residents can learn about our history and about the special topics offered through traveling exhibits. There are classes for adults, summer camps for kids and special activities for groups. Travel through time at the History Center and experience the thrill of adventure.

Funding Opportunities & Grants

Visit the Arts & Cultural Affairs Funding page to see what opportunities exist in support of the arts.