Community officials and City Council members are working to make the Fenway area, which is home to multiple colleges and universities, Boston Symphony Hall and several art museums, an official cultural district of Boston.
A cultural district is defined as an area in a city or town with multiple cultural attractions and activities, according to the Massachusetts Cultural Council’s guidelines. Any community in the Commonwealth can apply and then establish partnerships with other organizations.
At a hearing held last week at the Massachusetts College of Arts and Design, Councilor Michael Ross, of Back Bay, Councilor At-Large Ayanna Pressley and some members of the Fenway community supported the idea of adding Fenway to the list of cultural districts.
MCC’s Communications Director Gregory Liakos said in an email he believed that City Council has taken the requisite vote to endorse the district.
The MCC’s cultural district goals also include encouragement of business and job development, establishment as a tourist destination, preservation of historic buildings and local cultural development.
The MCC created an additional program, the Massachusetts Cultural Districts Initiative, which the state legislature passed in 2010 and officially began around six months ago, according to its website.
“The CDI will encourage Massachusetts communities to strengthen this sense of place, while stimulating economic activity, improving the experiences of visitors to our communities, and creating a higher quality of life,” Liakos said.
This type of brand helps enhance public programs such as local arts, humanities and science organizations and benefits local families, Liakos said.
“They can enhance the experience for visitors and thus attract more tourist dollars and tax revenue,” he said. “And they can attract artists, cultural organizations and entrepreneurs of all kinds – enhancing property values and making communities more attractive.”
Currently, the legislation is with the Arts, Film, Humanities and Tourism committee, said Ross’s chief of staff, George Greenidge, in a phone interview.
“The committee met and next Tito will bring it to other councilors so they can jump in on their feedback at council meetings,” he said. “Then, it will go over to the MCC with a resolution.”
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