Scott Gray received unanimous approval of the Metropolitan King County Council today to serve on the King County 4Culture task force as the representative from Council District Nine.

“Scott’s experience working on the King County Fair will add valuable insight as we look at how to make arts and culture funding work for the entire county,” said Councilmember Reagan Dunn.

“I am excited to be part of such a valuable program such as 4Culture,” said Scott Gray. “I look forward to this opportunity.”

Gray grew up in the region and after a full career working for Pepsi and Hostess Foods he returned to Enumclaw ready to enjoy retirement. That ended when in 2014, attendance at the oldest ongoing County Fair west of the Mississippi hit a modern day low.

First as a member of the Enumclaw Expo Center Advisory Board, and then as Executive Director, Gray worked to keep the King County Fair operating. The City of Enumclaw has operated the Fair in partnership with the non-profit Enumclaw Expo Center since 2015. During the first year of the partnership. The total number of fairgoers in 2015 doubled from 2014, and attendance has continued to grow.

King County’s arts and heritage programs are administered by 4Culture, the quasi-governmental Cultural Development Authority. 4Culture receives a portion of hotel/motel tax revenues to advance arts and heritage programs through competitive grants that provide support for arts and heritage facilities, productions, cultural education and collaborative projects. In addition, 4Culture administers King County’s One Percent for Art program, which incorporates public art into qualified capital projects.

The 4Culture task force, consists of 27 members which will prepare an assessment of 4Culture’s governance structure, processes and practices by February 1, 2019.