The evidence is clear: A thriving creative sector is one of our Commonwealth's most powerful economic development assets. The MCC invests in the continuing development of the state's creative economy through a range of grant programs and services – including the Cultural Investment Portfolio, the Cultural Facilities Fund, the Adams Arts Program (a long-standing cultural economic development program), and the ArtistLink Initiative.

To this menu we are pleased to add the Cultural Districts Initiative. The program was authorized by an act of the Massachusetts state legislature in 2010, and launched in April 2011.

Cultural districts can help local arts, humanities, and science organizations improve the quality and range of their public programs so that more local families can benefit from them. They can enhance the experience for visitors and thus attract more tourist dollars and tax revenue. And they can attract artists, cultural organizations and entrepreneurs of all kinds - enhancing property values and making communities more attractive.

One of the distinct attributes of Massachusetts is the authenticity of its communities. From urban centers and fishing ports in the east, to rural hamlets and older industrial centers in the west, the Commonwealth incorporates a wide range of distinctive places.

The Cultural District Initiative will encourage Massachusetts communities to strengthen this sense of place, while stimulating economic activity, improving the experiences of visitors to our communities, and creating a higher quality of life.

Apply for Cultural District Designation
Designated Cultural Districts
Massachusetts Resources for Cultural Districts
Cultural District Examples & Readings

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