SOAP LAKE — The Soap Lake community gathered Saturday to mark a significant milestone: the establishment of the Soap Lake Creative District. After years of dedication and collaboration, local leaders, artists and residents celebrated the district’s official certification, which promises to enrich the city’s cultural landscape and promote its creative economy.

The celebration included speeches, displays of artwork, history and community engagement aimed at raising awareness about the district, which is intended to be a hub for creativity and collaboration among local artists and businesses.

“We want people to understand that our aim is not just to host events,” Ruthann Tobiason, one of the organizers of the creative district effort, said. “This is about building longer-term plans that will enrich our community and strengthen our creative economy.”

The journey to achieve this designation was not without its challenges. Tobiason, a member of the Friends of the Lower Grand Coulee board, highlighted the extensive process required for certification.

“It took us about three years of meetings, surveys, and community outreach to gather the necessary data and craft our application,” she said. “We crafted nearly 40 pages of information, ensuring we understood our community and built broad support.”

With certification now in place, the Soap Lake Creative District aims to leverage existing community assets, such as the historic Masquers Theater and the iconic Calling the Healing Waters sculpture. Tobiason noted the importance of these landmarks, emphasizing how they will serve as focal points for attracting visitors.

“Our goal is to enhance the assets that we already have. The Sundial is a really good example – it’s an invaluable community asset and a major attraction,” she said.

The strategic plan for the Creative District is ambitious, with a particular focus on community involvement and sustainable growth.

“It’s going to take collaboration between local businesses, the chamber of commerce, and artists to attract more people to spend time here, especially during the off-seasons,” Tobiason said.

Tobiason was also acknowledged by City Council Member Kayleen Bryson for being organized and helping the creative district come to fruition.

“Without her, I don’t know how we would have managed this,” Bryson said. “Working with creatives is like herding cats. When you are working with all the diversity in our community, it is hard to get it all pulled together.”

Bryson said establishing the creative district was a challenge because people weren’t super organized; however, Tobiason made sure things got done.

As Soap Lake puts its Creative District into action, Tobiason remains optimistic about its potential impact.

“If we work together and deliver on our promise, we will see more visitors coming into town, and hopefully, they will spend their money in our local businesses,” she said.

    Councilwoman Judith Gorman draws a tulip with the help of a young attendee at the Soap Lake Creative District celebration Saturday.
  

    A display honoring the history of the sundial in Soap Lake was displayed at the Soap Lake Creative District celebration Saturday. The district hopes to use grant funding to have new benches installed and figure out a way to prevent people from climbing on the statue.
  

    Creative District organizer Ruthann Tobiason, right, greets former council member Leslie Taylor at the Soap Lake Creative District Celebration. The event was catered by multiple local restaurants.