Cultural
and Entertainment Districts: Frequently Asked Questions
How can a cultural district boost revitalization in my community?
- Beautify and animate cities and towns
- Provide employment
- Attract residents and tourists to the area
- Complement adjacent business
- Enhance property values
- Expand the tax base
- Attract well-educated employees
- Contribute to a creative, innovate environment
- Stimulate small business development
What kinds of facilities are located in a cultural and entertainment district?
- Historic structures
- Performance spaces
- Museums
- Galleries
- Artist studios
- Arts-related retail shops
- Book Stores
- Music or media production studios
- Dance studios
- Learning centers, high schools or colleges for the arts
- Libraries
- Arboretums and gardens
- Ethnic enterprises
- Graphic design studios
- Architectural firms
- Retail business such as wine stores, bakeries, gourmet food stores
- Restaurants, clubs
What goals can cultural and entertainment districts help a community achieve?
- Revitalize a particular area of the city.
- Offer evening activities, extending hours during which the area is in use.
- Make an area safe and attractive.
- Promote and market cultural activities for residents and tourists
- Attract facilities for arts and cultural organizations and their activities.
- Expand employment opportunities and housing for artists and cultural workers.
- Connect the arts and culture more intimately with community development.
- Increase understanding of different cultures.
- Strengthens ties between different cultures and ethnicities.
- Expands and supports small business locations.
What activities might be offered in a Cultural and Entertainment District?
- Art classes and educational offerings.
- Art creation and rehearsal
- Art related street vendors
- Art and museum sales
- Demonstrations (artists at work)
- Exhibitions
- Festivals and fairs
- Film/media screenings
- Gallery hops
- How to classes (cooking, stain-glass making)
- Literary readings
- Performing arts events
- Public art
Important Considerations for Cultural District Development and Management
- Each cultural district is unique and should reflect the specific cultural, social, and economic needs of its area.
- Planning for a cultural district should be part of wider cultural planning for the community at large.
- Activities in Cultural Districts should be comfortably accessible to all people.
- Cultural district management requires careful coordination among diverse groups. Cultural districts must be part of a package of many strategies to revitalize
a community.
- Must be welcoming to all people.
- Must have appropriate signage and marketing.
- Must have dedicated management resources (staff, board and budget).
Questions?
- Please contact staff Monday through Friday between the hours of 8:00 AM and
4:30 PM. Offices are closed weekends and state holidays. We encourage you to e-mail
your questions.
