Haverhill’s Riverfront Cultural District last week again secured $15,000 to encourage and promote arts and culture in downtown Haverhill.
The district, which covers Washington and Wingate Streets, is administered by Creative Haverhill, was one of 58 statewide to share in $870,000 in Cultural District Investment Grants from the Mass Cultural Council. During an awards ceremony Friday at Merrimack Repertory Theatre in Lowell, Creative Haverhill Director Erin Padilla said the annual allotments have supported such events as the Art Walk.
“The Cultural District Initiative has been truly transformational for our community in Haverhill,” Padilla said. She added, “These events support our local artists, businesses, restaurants and district as a whole. Without the Cultural Districts Initiative, our community wouldn’t have the capacity or the funding for these integral programs. Thanks to these programs, community connectivity and pride have grown and our local artists and businesses are thriving!”
Grants may be used for marketing and promotion, capacity building, artist or vendor fees and creative community placekeeping or public art.
Michael J. Bobbitt, Mass Cultural Council executive director, called cultural districts “the heart and soul of our communities.”
“They are vibrant hubs of creativity that enrich our lives with art and expression while driving economic growth and fostering local pride,” he explained.
Besides driving tourism, cultural districts may benefit from programs, services and economic development tools offered by state agencies, constitutional offices and quasi-governmental agencies.