Wareham Selectmen Encouraged to Create Cultural Districts

COURTESY OF BARNSTABLE TOWN MANAGER'S OFFICE The Hyannis HyArts Artist Shanties will open for the season on Friday, May 15.

COURTESY OF BARNSTABLE TOWN MANAGER’S OFFICE
There are four designated cultural districts on Cape Cod, including the HyArts District (pictured above, artist shanties) in Hyannis, the Barnstable Village district, the Orleans District and the Glasstown District in Sandwich.

WAREHAM – Wareham selectmen recently endorsed creating cultural districts in town, under the encouragement of Massachusetts Cultural Council Districts Program Manager Meri Jenkins.

A Cultural District is a specific geographic area in a city or town that has a concentration of cultural facilities and assets, Jenkins explained.

“It’s a walkable, compact area,” she said. “It’s about keeping them in the community as long as possible, and that translates to more dollars for the people in business in town.”

Jenkins said areas which have become Cultural Districts typically attract tourists, artists and creative entrepreneurs.

She said since its establishment four years ago, the Cultural Districts initiative has designated 27 cultural zones throughout the commonwealth, with over 40 more under review.

Selectmen responded affirmatively to the concept and suggested possible areas for application such as Onset and Besse Park.



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