Mayor William F. Devin appointed the Seattle Civic Arts Committee (SCAC) in September, 1944 to encourage cultural activities defined as the Fine Arts and to broaden public interest in civic art and arts organizations. Fine Arts was defined by the committee as "those arts that exist primarily as an appeal to the emotions." The citizen committee consisted of representatives from arts organizations and citizens interested in one or more of the arts. The committee was composed of over two dozen members. To make it less unwieldy, a seven-member Executive Committee was established to supervise and manage the work of the larger committee and its work committees. During its existence the SCAC conducted a survey to determine the extent of fine arts activities in Seattle; discussed establishment of a War Memorial, Civic Arts Center, Music Hall, and other arts related topics; and struggled with ideas of how these various projects could be funded. In November 1945 the SCAC recommended that the City find a suitable site for a Civic Arts Center and Mayor Devin directed the City Planning Commission to study the idea. In 1946, the SCAC was instrumental in forming the Civic Center Association which, in turn, superseded Committee. The outgrowth of SCAC's work and the subsequent work of the Association was the creation or renovation of several venues that later became part of Seattle Center.