The district is primarily made up of Main Street that runs parallel to the Westfield River and intersects with Route 9 at Fairgrounds Road. It is a walkable and compact area that retains its feel as a late 1800s community with set-back older homes, churches, museums, and three historically-designated facilities on a tree-lined street. Main Street, a preserved and primary point of interest, is one of the district’s most important physical assets.
The town hopes its new cultural district will support and utilize the vision and creativity of local artists and cultural workers to improve underutilized space and bring the community together.Ī rural, hilly town located at the hub of major roadways connecting the region’s Hilltowns with the Berkshires, Cummington Center, one of three villages in town, is the focal point of the Cummington Cultural District. We hope it will bring people together, create partnerships and collaboration among existing cultural institutions and businesses, and ultimately benefit the town as a whole – ‘Only One Cummington’ – as the title of our town history proclaims,” said John Bye, Co-Chair, Cummington Cultural District Committee.Ĭummington seeks to revitalize its economy through arts and culture and to bring residents together around a shared identity and town pride. “The designation is an important step forward for our town. Poets have found a nurturing and inspiring home, and small presses have flourished. Schools and residencies have supported the visual and performing arts. Since the 1800s, this small Hampshire County community with a population of less than 900 has been a draw for artists who have come to study, create, and build strong ties. About the Cummington Cultural DistrictĪrt work for the Cummington Cultural District street signĪrguably the most rural of all Massachusetts’ cultural districts, Cummington has a deep and unique history as a cultural place. Because of today’s Council action, both the Cummington and Lexington Cultural Districts are eligible to receive $15,000 each to support activities and goals that encourage their development and success, such as marketing and promotion, capacity building, artist or vendor fees, the development or implementation of creative community placemaking, placekeeping, or public art, collaborative cultural policy or strategic planning processes, or community-engaged and informed data collection and/or reporting. In January, Mass Cultural Council celebrated a record-high $750,000 investment supporting the cultural district network. They act as hubs of cultural, artistic, and economic activity, and offer a place-based identity to collaborative community initiatives.
Cultural districts are located in communities of all sizes in every region of Massachusetts, and are easy to navigate areas with a density of cultural facilities, activities, and assets. By supporting cultural and creative experiences, each of the Commonwealth’s 55 state-designated cultural districts attract tourists and entrepreneurs, which helps cities and towns develop their cultural sector and expand their tax base. The Agency’s efforts advance economic vitality, support transformational change, and celebrate, preserve, and inspire creativity across all Massachusetts communities.Įstablished in 2011 by an act of the state Legislature, the Cultural Districts Initiative drives economic growth, strengthens the distinctive local character of communities, and improves the quality of life for families across Massachusetts. Mass Cultural Council, an independent state arts agency, is charged with bolstering the Commonwealth’s creative and cultural sector. “Whether creative individuals are visiting while seeking inspiration from the natural beauty of a rural landscape or students and families are reflecting upon key points in our nation’s history at the very spots made famous during the American Revolution, the Cummington and Lexington Cultural Districts will boost the creative and cultural economies of their host towns by driving tourism and offering programming – and we are thrilled to welcome them to the Massachusetts Cultural Districts Initiative!” Bobbitt, Executive Director, Mass Cultural Council. “Today we celebrate and recognize culture and creativity in two very different Massachusetts communities, Cummington and Lexington,” said Michael J. This action increases the total number of state-designated cultural districts in the Commonwealth to 55. Today during the 158 th business meeting of the Mass Cultural Council, two new state-designated cultural districts were approved in the communities of Cummington and Lexington. New Cultural Districts Designated in Cummington & Lexington
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