Art isn't what this town needs.  What we need is a viable waterfront and downtown district!  Go to Coupeville on any given day in the Summer and it is packed!  On any of those same days Oak Harbor is dead!
City Beach is a haven for homeless and shady characters and we are improving it with a sewage treatment plant?!
There are very few good restaurants in OH and none of those have a water view!  Alfy's doesn't count!  Some of the good restaurants are having a difficult time to survive simply because no one comes to OH to spend any time.  It is a drive-thru town to get to where you want to go!
Those in the military don't want to live here for one, because it's pretty dead.  They are choosing to commute from Anacortes and Mount Vernon, and for another reason...no one wants to go out to a bar and have a few drinks because they might run face to face with their C.O.
Art isn't what this town needs.  What it needs is a real plan to revitalize the water front and the isolated downtown strip.