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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 12, 2012
Contact: Gregory
Liakos, Communications Director 617-727-3668 x343 or
Ann Petruccelli,
Communications Coordinator 617-727-3668 x231
Massachusetts Cultural Council Board Approves Four State-Designated Cultural Districts
New Districts in Cambridge, Essex, Marlborough,
Sandwich
(CAMBRIDGE, MA) - The Massachusetts Cultural Council
(MCC) Board voted unanimously this morning to approve four new
state-designated cultural districts, bringing the total number
of Massachusetts cultural districts to 14 statewide in just over
a year since the initiative launched.
The Board voted during its meeting held in the heart of one of the new districts at the Central Square Theater in Cambridge. The new districts include:
- Central Square Cultural District, Cambridge
- Essex River Cultural District, Essex
- Marlborough Downtown Village Cultural District, Marlborough
- Glass Town Cultural District, Sandwich
A cultural district is a compact, walkable area of a community with a concentration
of cultural facilities, activities, and assets. MCC's Cultural
Districts Initiative grew out of an economic stimulus bill
passed by the Massachusetts 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.
"The Cultural Districts Initiative continues to gain momentum across the Commonwealth, and I'm thrilled to announce these four new designations today," said Anita Walker, MCC's Executive Director. "Each community is rich with remarkable cultural treasures unique to its location, history, and residents, with great potential for further cultural and economic growth."
Each new district will have signage, an online profile on the Mass. Office of Travel and Tourism and MCC websites, and other amenities. The Initiative builds upon one of the great strengths of Massachusetts: the distinctiveness and authenticity of its communities. Cultural Districts help cities and towns identify, support, and promote their unique identity and sense of place.
Other previously-designated
Massachusetts Cultural Districts include – the Shelburne Falls
Cultural District, Natick Center Cultural District, Concord Center
Cultural District, Lowell's Canalway Cultural District, Boston's
Fenway Cultural District, Gloucester's Rocky Neck Cultural District,
Lynn's Central Exchange Cultural District, the Upstreet Cultural
District in Pittsfield, Hyannis's HyArts Cultural District, and
the Rockport Cultural District.
Central Square Cultural District, Cambridge
Cambridge's Central Square Cultural District is home
to a mix of small, funky independently-owned shops and creative
start-ups, with larger, well-established corporations, all fueled
and supported by existing cultural resources such as public art,
resident working artists, dynamic cultural organizations, ethnic
restaurants, and leading educational institutions like Cambridge
College and MIT. Central Square is home to a number of large cultural
events, including Cambridge Science Festival, Cambridge River
Festival, Central Square World's Fair and the City Dance Party,
together drawing an annual audience to the square in excess of
500,000. Property-owners in the Square are committed to the vision
of the District and support attracting new businesses that will
maintain a positive balance of size, diversity and industry. The
Central Square Cultural District amplifies an authentic, urban
neighborhood that is constantly evolving while maintaining a core
identity as a unique and eclectic place to live, work and play.
Essex River Cultural District
The Essex River Cultural District
is logical and compact, both in terms of geography and concept:
this is where "the town meets the river." The district meanders
past ancient burial grounds, active shipyards and marinas, bustling
restaurants, antique shops and galleries. The district offers
vistas of Burnham's Shipyard, the Essex Historical Society and
Museum, which houses an important collection of marine related
antiquities and much of Essex's rich history, and the stunning
Essex River with its salt marsh borders looking out to Hog Island
and Crane Beach. Pocket parks line the street with benches for
relaxing and taking in the views. The focus on the river and the
Town's shipbuilding heritage makes sense: rather than trying to
cram everything historic, arts focused, or coastal into a single
jumbled district, the partners have used the application process
to think deeply about the Town's core identity. The district presents
a dynamic and active relationship between history and the river,
not one that is frozen in the past: residents are encouraged to
get out onto the river to experience it first-hand; the shipbuilding
tradition is still alive and well and the town celebrates each
new launch; and early antiques share shelf-space with more recent
memorabilia and present day crafts.
Downtown Marlborough Cultural District (name
to be confirmed)
The Downtown Marlborough Cultural
District referred to as the "cultural heart" of the City, is an
architecturally attractive, ethnically diverse, and inviting area
that is easily accessible by bus, car, bike, and foot. The downtown's
natural cultural assets are utilized by residents from all parts
of the city, and cultural stakeholders have endeavored to increase
Downtown Marlborough's profile across the region and further expand
upon its natural assets. Most notable to the cityscape are the
many steeples and spires of City Hall and area churches that characterize
a skyline which has remained visually unaltered since their construction
due to the fact that utilities are underground. Marlborough Downtown
Village, Olde Marlborough and Marlborough Regional Chamber of
Commerce are three groups that promote the arts, history, and
creative economy within the City of Marlborough and the greater
region. Comprised predominantly of service-related businesses,
including a robust selection of restaurants representing a variety
of cuisines, barber shops, CPAs, law offices, and printing companies,
Marlborough's Cultural District does not encompass the classic
cluster of cultural organizations, galleries, retail shops, and
artists indicative of a more archetypal arts district, but the
building blocks to a blossoming cultural district are present
in a way that is authentic to the City of Marlborough.
Glass Town Cultural District, Sandwich
Sandwich's Glass Town Cultural District
focuses on the village center of Sandwich, with the Sandwich Glass
Museum serving as the focal point – a lens to tell the story of
Glass Town. Whether they're photographing the picturesque Shawme
Pond, watching live glass-blowing, or learning about our nation's
colonial history, visitors may easily spend a week here and still
have sites to enjoy. Recent restoration work on the historic Town
Hall has reopened the upstairs theater space. The Dexter Grist
Mill & Hoxie House was recently restored to capture what life
was like in the 1600s. The Sandwich Public Library houses the
town's historic archives and offers cultural programming for various
age groups. Historic inns, private residences, four architecturally
significant church buildings, restaurants and shops are located
in the district. Outdoor Juried artisan shows, an antique market,
and an annual Street Fair with a Best Sandwich in Sandwich Competition
take place yearly. Plans are in place for a First Night Sandwich
celebration. There are two art galleries and a small community
of working artists and a great response to the recent revival
of community theater productions. The focus on "Glass Town" connects
the town's history with its present, and weaves together both
art and industry; this is not your "typical Cape town" – there
is something different here, rooted in history but continuing
in the present day; a heritage connecting artisanship and innovation;
a sense of place that celebrates the beauty of a natural setting
while calling attention to the ways it has been shaped by the
hands of people.
About the Massachusetts Cultural Council
The
MCC is a state agency supporting the arts, humanities, and sciences
to improve the quality of life in Massachusetts and its communities.
The MCC pursues this mission through of grants, services, and
advocacy for nonprofit cultural organizations, schools, communities,
and artists. The MCC is funded primarily by the state and through
grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, and others. It
achieves its mission through grants, services, and partnerships
to nonprofit cultural organizations, schools, communities, and
artists.
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