Cultural Districts – Page 2 – Creative Minds Out Loud

Episode 48: Cultural District as Framework for Unifying Community Vision

Wrapped inside the cozy neighborhoods of a leafy mill town in Boston’s Metro West, Maynard’s downtown is a dynamic micro-city. Tim Hess, an architect and former chair of the Maynard Cultural Council, shares the journey undertaken to create what is now Maynard’s Assabet Village Cultural District.

Timothy Hess, AIA, CNU-A, SEED
Tim Hess is a member of the Maynard Cultural Council, and chaired that group through state designation of the Assabet Village Cultural District. His place-making approach helped to shape the framework and goals for the District, identifying four place-assets of particular civic value to its identity and cohesion, and outlining a series of special events meant to initiate cycles of exploration, imagination, planning, and investment in those places. Continue reading “Episode 48: Cultural District as Framework for Unifying Community Vision”

Episode 37: Springfield Cultural District Fuels Downtown Growth

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A thriving creative sector is one of our Commonwealth’s most powerful economic development assets. Morgan Drewniany, Executive Director of the Springfield Central Cultural District, shares their work in harnessing arts and culture for the future of Springfield.

Morgan Drewniany is Executive Director of the Springfield Central Cultural District. She attended Hampshire College with a focus on the intersection of environmental chemistry, public health, and social justice. Her passion for serving all of the population, not just those with a high level of education and privilege, brought her to the field of economic development after graduation.

Continue reading “Episode 37: Springfield Cultural District Fuels Downtown Growth”

Episode 21: When Arts & Culture Have a Seat in City Hall

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Erin Williams, Cultural Development Officer for the City of Worcester and Executive Director of the Worcester Cultural Coalition, discusses what’s possible when arts & culture has a seat in City Hall, and what can be gained by integrating the arts into city strategies.

Erin Williams Erin I. Williams is the Cultural Development Officer for the City of Worcester, MA and the Executive Director of the Worcester Cultural Coalition, the unified voice of the Greater Worcester, MA creative community. The Coalition is a unique public private partnership which shines a spotlight on the creative activity produced in the region and supports creative placemaking through such initiatives as the WOOPass, Worcester Wayfinding signage program and #MakeArtEverywhere campaign and public events such as Out to Lunch Concert Series. With Erin’s leadership, the Worcester Cultural Coalition was presented the Commonwealth Award for Creative Economy Catalyst. In July, 2012 Richard Florida named Worcester as one of the top 20 creative cities in the U.S in The Rise of the Creative Class. Continue reading “Episode 21: When Arts & Culture Have a Seat in City Hall”

Episode 1: A New Economic Model for Creative Placemaking

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Is there a new economic model where the business and arts sector better recognize one another? The city-making market has realized the arts are a catalyst for place. Mark Davy founder of Futurecity, describes how the public sector can do a better job of telling its story to the private sector in order to “flip the budget” in favor of cultural partnerships.

Mark Davy founded Futurecity in 2007 as a culture and placemaking consultancy and a platform for predominantly private sector involvement in culture-driven development of urban centers. Under his leadership Futurecity now has 17 staff members, has written over 100 cultural and arts strategies for large brownfield developments, regeneration areas and urban centers, and works for a wide range of property sector, local authority, and public sector clients. Continue reading “Episode 1: A New Economic Model for Creative Placemaking”