PLYMOUTH, MA— On Tuesday, November 18, 2014 the Massachusetts Cultural Council voted in favor of designating the Plymouth Bay Cultural District the 27th cultural district in the Commonwealth. This announcement comes as the Town of Plymouth prepares for the America’s Hometown Thanksgiving Celebrations, which are internationally-acclaimed events that highlight Plymouth’s history, culture, and community and begin Friday November 21 with Illuminate 2014 and continue on Saturday November 22 with the America’s Hometown Parade. The designation will help to enhance downtown Plymouth’s already fruitful arts and culture scene, and to create new partnerships, programs, and events that will further expand and enrich the creative economy here.
Massachusetts Cultural Council’s Meri Jenkins and Anita Walker hold the Plymouth Bay Cultural District sign.
Plymouth 400, Inc., the organization planning the programs and events commemorating the 400th anniversary of Plymouth Colony, was instrumental in the application process for the district and formed the Cultural District Committee, co-chaired by Monica Mullin and Debra Woodman, both of whom are active in cultural organizations in Plymouth. One of the key motivators for creating a cultural district in Plymouth is to ensure that the increased tourism that will come with Plymouth’s 400th anniversary in 2020 will have as positive an impact on the economy as possible, and will be sustained long after the 2020 commemorations are over.
The Cultural District Committee consists of representatives from several of the community’s well-known cultural organizations, including Plymouth Center for the Arts, Loretta LaRoche Productions, Plymouth Philharmonic, Spire Center for Performing Arts, Plymouth Cultural Committee, Plimoth Plantation, Setting the Space, Full Sail Pub, and Project Arts Plymouth. The district currently has 123 identified cultural assets, many of which have already signed on as Cultural District Stakeholders and will be involved in the planning and decision making process for the Plymouth Bay Cultural District’s programs and events.
The Town of Plymouth’s support towards the Plymouth Bay Cultural District shows its commitment not only to the community’s arts and culture organizations, but also the economic development of Plymouth’s entire downtown. Through this designation, the Plymouth Bay Cultural District will create strong working relationships between all of its established cultural assets and will help increase both community and tourism interest by promoting the many cultural experiences in the area to visitors and locals alike.
For more information on the Plymouth Bay Cultural District, please visit our Facebook page.
About Plymouth 400, Inc.
Plymouth 400, Inc. is a not-for-profit organization formed to lead the planning and execution of programs and events commemorating the historic 400th anniversary of the 1620 Mayflower voyage, the landing of the Pilgrims, their relationship with the Native Wampanoag people and the founding of Plymouth Colony; events that significantly shaped the building of America. The Plymouth 400 commemoration will honor America’s story of exploration, innovation, self-governance and thanksgiving, the legacies sparked by these historic events that continue today as cornerstones of our nation. The events and programs to be produced by Plymouth 400, Inc. will engage audiences in the US and beyond with participation in the millions across communities, and include participation by global leaders, international musical and stage artists, veterans, descendants, and youth. These world-class programs and events will include live televised events, festivals, historical and cultural exhibitions, and educational programming. Events and programs will be funded by public funds for education and tourism and private partnerships with select national sponsors and corporate leaders and leave a legacy that will live beyond the commemoration dates.
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