Preservation: Conserving Community in the Face of Change
Historic preservation is a powerful form of civic self-portraiture. Familiar buildings, neighborhoods and landscapes tell a layered story of who we are, and where we came from. Whenever ordinary people take action to safeguard places that matter to them, whole communities enjoy the social, environmental, and economic benefits.
Preservation 4Culture staff work with a volunteer advisory committee and partners in the field to support the work of local preservationists. Through funding programs for critical "bricks & mortar" projects, solutions-oriented advocacy, and promotion of heritage tourism, we strive to conserve places of meaning in communities throughout King County.
4Culture's landmark rehabilitation program is open annually to private, nonprofit, and public stewards of King County designated landmarks outside the city of Seattle. Project planning, stabilization, and restoration projects are funded in amounts that typically range from $3,000 to $10,000.
Landmark challenge grants are open to owners of all designated landmarks countywide, including city of Seattle landmarks. Awards are leveraged by a required one-to-one cash match. This program funds project planning, stabilization, and restoration work, in amounts that range from $10,000 to $25,000.
Historic places are among King County's most popular tourist attractions. Through our award-winning Destination Heritage multi-media guide series, 4Culture helps visitors and residents explore agricultural, industrial, and maritime history off the beaten track.
Each year, 4Culture honors the best of local historic destinations - lively sites, dynamic museums, and experiential programs - for meeting standards of excellence in the specialized field of heritage tourism.
In partnership with King County TV, 4Culture produces 4CTV, an award-winning series of television programs highlighting arts and culture throughout the County. Programs air regularly on KCTV (Channel 22), municipal cable channels and can also be streamed directly from 4Culture's website. Our catalog includes feature-length documentaries as well as half-hour shows featuring discussions with arts and heritage leaders.
Since 2005, 4Culture has assisted in the revitalization of maritime heritage in Seattle and King County. We support preservation of our nationally significant fleet of historic ships, convene a regular meeting of leaders from maritime heritage organizations, and are working to promote establishment of an exciting new National Maritime Heritage Area in western Washington.
Preservation 4Culture regularly partners with organizations, public agencies, and individuals to find creative solutions to protecting endangered historic sites. We offer assistance with media outreach, stakeholder convening, site-specific research, and strategic funding.
Preservation 4Culture offers consulting services to agencies of King County and its municipalities. We can assist with cultural planning, survey & inventory, landmark nomination research, and local preservation program development. For King County Road Services, 4Culture recently delivered project design, research, and field investigation services for the