Mass Cultural Council Renews Amherst Center Cultural District

Source: amherstma.gov. and Mass Cultural Council

The Amherst Center Cultural District (ACCD) has been renewed for five more years by the governing Board of the Mass Cultural Council. The Council voted unanimously last week to renew Amherst and eight other cultural districts, extending their participation in the Massachusetts Cultural District Initiative. 

A cultural district is a specific area in a city or town. It has a number of cultural facilities, activities, and assets. It is a walkable, compact area. It is easy for visitors and residents to recognize. It is a hub of cultural, artistic and economic activity. The Mass Cultural Council knows that each community is unique. No two cultural districts will be alike. Any city or town in Massachusetts can apply for cultural district designation. The city or town is the applicant for a cultural district designation. The city or town must identify a specific area in their city or town and must establish a partnership. The partnership includes organizations and stakeholders in the district.

The goals of the cultural districts, described are:

• Attract artists and cultural enterprises
• Encourage business and job development
• Establish the district as a tourist destination
• Preserve and reuse historic buildings
• Enhance property values
• Foster local cultural development

See the legislation for the Mass Cultural Districts Initiative.

The ACCD has members representing the town center’s cultural entities such as the Emily Dickinson Museum, the Mead Art Museum at Amherst College, the Jones Library, the Amherst Cinema as well as town committees such as the Public Art Commission, and Amherst Cultural Council. The Amherst Business Improvement District (BID) manages the ACCD.   

For the past five years, the ACCD has used the funds to help promote, connect, and engage artists, create a district-wide map, and hold Celebration of the Arts events. In the past two years, annual funds were used to get money directly to artists during the pandemic. In 2020, the ACCD held a COVID-19 Artist Contest, open to musicians, poets, dancers, storytellers and multi-dimensional artists with submissions reflecting the impact of the pandemic.   

This past summer, funds were used for the Windows Into Art display throughout town and the live Celebration of the Arts on the town common with artists and artisans displaying their work and performers on stage representing performative winners of the COVID-19 Artist Contest. 

Funds also went to the Public Art Commission directed installation of Amherst-resident Benjamin Cowden’s Interstitial Zigzags at the new Portal Gallery at Boltwood Plaza. The public is welcome to attend this opening reception at the Portal Gallery, to be held on September 10th from 6 – 7 p.m.  

Ann Tweedy, Chair of the ACCD Board and Marketing & Events Director at the Amherst BID, says “We’re thrilled with the extension and can’t wait to continue to explore new ways to collaborate and help promote the arts and artists in our area in order to highlight and cultivate a dynamic cultural environment in the town center.” 

The Town of Amherst is pleased to continue their support of the Amherst Center Cultural District, with Town Planner Maureen Pollock adding, “the cultural district celebrates our community, provides economic opportunities, and offer residents and visitors the chance to visit, learn, support, and partake in cultural activities that make our downtown area vibrant and special.” 

To learn more, please visit: www.amherstcenterculturaldistrict.org