North Adams Seeking Public Input on Cultural District Application| 02:11PM / Wednesday, May 04, 2016 | |
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NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The city of North Adams and Berkshire Cultural Resource Center, part of Massachusetts College Liberal Arts, will be hosting two public meetings regarding the application to designate the North Adams downtown area as a Cultural District.
This designation is awarded through the Massachusetts Cultural Council's Cultural District Initiative. The meetings will take place at on Tuesday, May 10, at 11 a.m. and Thursday, May 12, at 6 p.m. Both meetings will be open to the public and held at Gallery 51 on Main Street. The purpose is to have an open discussion with the community about the ins and outs of the application process as well as the impact this designation will have on the city.
A cultural district, as defined by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, is a compact, walkable area of a community with a concentration of cultural facilities, activities, and assets. The Cultural District Initiative grew out of an economic stimulus bill passed by the state Legislature in 2010. It is designed to help communities attract artists and cultural enterprises, encourage business and job growth, expand tourism, preserve and reuse historic buildings, enhance property values, and foster local cultural development.
Creating a cultural district in North Adams provides the city with a tool for cultural organizations and local businesses to market and identify the city downtown as a unique and attractive destination for locals, businesses and visitors. This cultural designation is considered important continue the city's trajectory of becoming an up-and-coming space for artists from all around the world and attract activity and investment from the surrounding area that will help strengthen its local economy.
The cultural district will be centered in the heart of downtown where the highest concentration of artistic and cultural amenities reside. The gathering of information for the application has been a joint effort of Jen Crowell of the BCRC; Suzy Helme, the city's director of community events, a selected group of MCLA students, and numerous community partners. The group utilized documents compiled in 2014 from a previous effort as the base for this application. This includes an inventory of cultural assets: an in-depth list of all performing arts venues, galleries, restaurants, hotels, creative economy businesses and public resources.
Anchored by a vibrant art scene, the proposed North Adams Cultural District features unique cultural and historical destinations, numerous creative economy-oriented retail businesses, fine-dining, unique cuisine and community events. Sustained by active leadership and engaged citizenry, North Adams is well positioned to embrace and support this new designation.
Cultural districts help cities and towns identify, support, and promote their unique identity and sense of place. For more information or questions about the public hearing, please contact Jennifer Crowell or Suzy Helme.
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