Columbia River Arts and Cultural Foundation names new board president, continues push for performing arts center

The Columbia River Arts and Cultural Foundation’s (CRACF) new board president brings decades of experience in live theatrical entertainment and theater construction to his role.

Washougal resident John Kivlen took over as the CRACF’s board president earlier this year, replacing Martha Martin, who remains with the nonprofit as a board member and president emeritus.

“John has 30-plus years of profit and not-for-profit experience in providing live entertainment performances around the world and supporting the comprehensive and artistic needs of diverse and multi-ethnic theater organizations,” according to a news release. “He is a passionate and proactive collaborator, known for leveraging expertise in staff, production, organizational strategies and shared long-term goals.”

The CRACF started out as a grassroots, 14-person steering committee put together by Martin and Washougal resident and then Washougal City Councilor Alex Yost in 2019, and earned nonprofit status in February 2021.

During a November 2019 Port of Camas-Washougal Board of Commissioners meeting, Martin and Yost presented a proposal to develop a facility on the southeast corner of the Port’s waterfront development, taking up between 2.5 acres and 4.5 acres with a 50,000-square-foot building that would include 1,200 seats, a main stage, a rehearsal stage, orchestra pit, studios, a lobby and flexible-use spaces.

“There are so many arts organizations within not only Washougal, but Vancouver, Camas and all of Clark County that need space, not only to perform, but also to rehearse,” Kivlen said. “Part of our plan is to not only build a stage where people can perform in front of audiences, but also a place where they can rehearse prior to going on stage. And if we can combine both of those and get all those different groups where we can bring them all together to create the programming that will eventually be put on the stage, then I think it’s a win-win.”

Kivlen has worked for some of the biggest live entertainment organizations in the world, including Walt Disney Imagineering, Universal Creative, Cirque du Soleil, the Martha Graham Dance Company and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

He also oversaw the construction of six theaters in Japan, Thailand and China.

“I think the main thing (that I bring to my role) is my experience in building these types of theaters, and also working with the various stakeholders — cities, states, communities, boards, tribes — to move all of this forward, because you don’t go and put up anywhere from a 200-seat theater to a 3,000-seat theater without input and approval,” he said. “And I don’t mean just fire codes and police departments — mayors, governors, elected officials, and also but more importantly, the community. I have had the opportunity to work with many of those different organizations.”

The CRACF hired TheatreDNA, a Los Angeles-based theater consulting firm, to put together a feasibility study that will provide data about community support for a performing arts center in east Clark County.

Kivlen hopes to present the findings of the study, which is fully funded and on track to be completed in the next four to six months, to Port commissioners, then shift funds to raising funds.

“I do want to point out very, very clearly that none of the monies we have raised and none of the monies we plan to raise are public funds,” Kivlen said. “We’re not using tax dollars. These are all private donations. We’ll be engaging and contracting with various professional fundraising organizations to help us achieve our eventual goals to build the theater.”

Port chief executive officer David Ripp indicated during a Port commission meeting in April 2021 that Roy Kim, the lead developer of the Port’s Hyas Point waterfront development project, isn’t high on the idea of reserving a portion of the property for the proposed performing arts and cultural center.

Ripp referenced Kim’s involvement with the development of the Patricia Reser Performing Arts Center in Beaverton, Oregon, which took 15 years to complete.

“When we sat down with Roy, he said, ‘I support the project, I support the Port considering it, but I just don’t want to tie up my property and wait for something (that may never materialize),” Ripp said. “Phase one of this development is $90 million, and a lot of that is infrastructure. … Roy and the Port don’t want to lose other opportunities by tying up the property based on something that could be 10 or 15 years down the road.”

Kivlen said that he “completely understands” the concerns, but believes the waterfront is “an ideal location” for the performing arts and cultural center.