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About the Office of Economic Opportunity and Creative Economy

Learn about the Office of Economic Opportunity and Creative Economy (OEOCE).

What are OEOCE’s core purpose, mission, and values?

Core purpose

The core purpose of the Office of Economic Opportunity and Creative Economy (OEOCE) is to help King County become a regional leader as we build an anti-racist, equitable, resilient, and sustainable regional economy, where every person can thrive. OEOCE’s core purpose is driven by the King County Executive’s True North and values.

Mission

To advance economic opportunity and growth throughout our region by developing sound policy, and fortifying partnerships and resources.

Values

  • Accountability: We operate with transparency in response to community need and input.
  • Equity: We use our institutional power to fuel opportunity where it hasn’t existed or has been limited.
  • Leadership: We provide servant leadership to the community and industry.
  • Industry:  We provide responsive support while championing the success of our industry partners.
  • Results: We move at the speed of innovation — earning the trust of community, including business, labor, organizations, and individuals.
  • Teamwork: We empower internal and external partners to fortify an economic landscape where all can thrive.

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How do I learn about public events hosted or supported by OEOCE?

By our social media

OEOCE maintains Facebook and Instagram pages as @KingCountyCreative.

Harbor Island Studios has its own Instagram page.

Through our newsletter

From our additional partners

OEOCE occasionally partners with local arts/culture, business, and economic development organizations on events. These are typically announced via our social media channels and in the King County Creative Connector, as well as the organizations’ own websites and social/email channels:

How does OEOCE function within King County?

  • OEOCE’s responsibilities set forth in Ordinance 19541 are:
    • Coordinating the county's efforts to develop a strong equitable economy that creates opportunities for all residents;
    • Developing and implementing strategies to promote economic revitalization and equitable development; and
    • Assisting communities and businesses in creating economic opportunities, promoting a diversified economy, and promoting family-wage job creation.
  • OEOCE serves as a hub to align strategy and policy across King County’s Executive branch.
  • OEOCE oversees strategic partnerships with economic and workforce development organizations, including Greater Seattle Partners, Workforce Development Council, and Associate Development Organizations.
  • OEOCE reflects the Executive’s commitment to economic opportunity. It is focused on meeting two of the greatest generational challenges of our time: building equity and opportunity, and confronting climate change. Guiding every initiative is the goal of becoming the most forward looking, best-run government in the nation.
  • The OEOCE Directors serve on the Executive Cabinet and Extended Leadership Team, and they advise the Executive on economic development policy, strategy, and budget.
  • OEOCE convenes the Economic Opportunity Coalition, a monthly meeting with all King County Executive Branch employees working in economic and workforce development. OEOCE helps coordinate and share information with this group to help advance King County’s economic and workforce goals.
  • In coordination with the Executive Climate Office, OEOCE addresses climate change impacts of workforce, business, and economic development.
  • OEOCE supports all economic development while devoting focused attention to the creative economy.

How does OEOCE define “Creative Economy?”

The creative economy refers to sectors that are based on creative and intellectual assets, rather than traditional commodities or services. King County’s creative economy is comprised of working creative laborers, nonprofit organizations, and small businesses in the creative sector. It encompasses a wide range of activities including arts, design, media, architecture, fashion, advertising, gaming, and more.

King County is keenly focused on supporting workers in film and music production, and more broadly focused on the creative sector overall. The creative economy thrives at the intersection of innovation, originality, cultural heritage, and the generation of intellectual property. It encompasses both commercial and non-commercial activities and plays a significant role in driving economic growth, fostering cultural development, and shaping societal progress.

Find more information about the King County Creative Economy

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Does OEOCE focus on a particular industry or set of industries?

King County prioritizes support for the aerospace, creative economy (film and music production), local food economy, green economy/clean technology, and agriculture and forestry clusters; and existing and emerging sectors that offer the best opportunities for business development, job creation, and economic growth.


Other prioritized sectors are determined on a case-by-case basis according to their alignment with Washington State’s and King County cities’ prioritized industries, the Executive’s True North and priorities, the county’s unique value proposition and strategic assets, and the County’s resources available to support the industry. The policy language was revised to “green economy” to encompass the sectors identified in the SCAP’s green jobs strategy.

Meet the team

Creative Economy Director Kate Becker

Kate Becker

Creative Economy Director

Kate Becker is the Creative Economy Director in King County Executive Dow Constantine’s Office. Building sustainable creative communities has been at the core of Kate’s career. Kate currently spends her days (and nights!) working to build King County's creative economy, keenly focused on the film, music, and events industries.

Prior to joining Executive Constantine’s Office, Kate served as the Director of the City of Seattle Office of Film + Music. She has also served in leadership roles at Seattle Theatre Group, Art Share LA in Los Angeles, and The New Art Center in Boston, MA. She co-founded legendary Northwest all-ages venues The Vera Project and the Old Fire House, talent pipelines for the music industry.

Kate has produced more than 1,000 all ages shows and numerous large-scale events and fundraisers. She also founded the Old Fire House Media Lab, ensuring that emerging filmmakers and musicians have access to studio space. She loves startup culture and founded two small businesses and two nonprofits. Kate was a charter member of the Seattle Music Commission and serves on the board of Music Policy Forum and NFFTY (National Film Festival for Talented Youth).

Economic Development and Economic Recovery Director Ashton Allison

Ashton Allison

Economic Development and Economic Recovery Director

Ashton Allison is economic development and economic recovery director at King County Executive Dow Constantine's Office. Ashton brings over 18 years of diverse economic development experience in the private, public, and nonprofit sectors. He is also a Certified Economic Developer through the International Economic Development Council and pursuing his Economic Development Certificate at the Harvard Kennedy School.

Ashton’s most recent role was as the director of business retention and expansion at the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce (Chamber). Ashton was responsible for leading the King County Associate Development Organization (ADO) and working with private and public sector partners to conduct effective business outreach, assistance - and most recently, the COVID-19 emergency response.

Prior to his time at the Chamber, Ashton served as a consultant with TIP Strategies, an economic development consulting firm. He managed strategic planning projects across the US, including several projects in Washington State. Ashton's background also includes previous positions as a public sector economic development practitioner, nonprofit entrepreneur support organization director, and marketing agency account manager.

Frequent questions about OEOCE

King County/OEOCE does not typically provide cash grants to private entities. The Washington State Constitution bars this type of activity by state and local governments, except where “a public interest is primarily served.” One exception was the COVID-19 pandemic, when this prohibition was temporarily waived. During that time period, OEOCE administered numerous one-time, federally funded emergency relief contracts.

OEOCE does not manage the Doors Open King County funding program, and we are also legally ineligible to receive any of this funding ourselves. Funds will be administered by our counterparts at 4Culture. Learn more on their website: https://www.4culture.org/doors-open/

We recommend researching additional local grant-makers for creatives and businesses.

For example:

OEOCE’s role includes advising the King County Executive in developing public policy that advances economic opportunity and promotes creative economy growth.

While not permitted to lobby as an individual agency, OEOCE is permitted to advocate on several issues that help advance economic opportunity and grow the creative economy.

OEOCE helps inform King County’s official position and lobbying efforts on economic development legislation at the local, state, and federal level.

OEOCE has supported the following:

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