Boston puts out call to help bring artists, creative enterprises downtown
The call, known formally as a
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Proposals are due on April 18, after which the city intends to invest $200,000 on pilot initiatives.
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'Focusing on bringing new creative enterprises Downtown will play a pivotal role in the evolution of the neighborhood,' DBA president Mike Nichols said in a statement. 'Downtown Boston Alliance is eager to work alongside the Wu Administration to pair a new generation of artists and creative entrepreneurs with economic and cultural opportunities in the heart of our city.'
The new initiative is part of a broader effort to bolster the city's downtown, which has struggled since the pandemic as businesses have pulled up stakes and employees have been reluctant to return to the office. Other efforts include
The main objectives of the new initiative are to increase foot traffic and business opportunities for creative endeavors downtown. The plan also seeks to create or enhance public gathering spaces and attract talent and investment to the area.
Ashton Lites, a freestyle dance entrepreneur who goes by Stiggity Stackz, said finding affordable housing and workspace is a major challenge.
'Having affordable space in downtown Boston would allow me to expand my dance and creative entrepreneurship programs, providing a dedicated space for mentorship, collaboration, and growth,' he said in a statement. 'It would help me continue to develop the next generation of dancers, artists, and community leaders while contributing to the strength and diversity of Boston's creative scene.'
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Artists and other creative types have often been on the forefront of neighborhood revitalization, and the city, along with DBA, are planning study success stories, name-checking London and Austin, Texas.
'Boston is overflowing with creatives of all types who need affordable spaces to do their work,' interim MOAC chief Kenny Mascary said in a statement. 'These cultural spaces provide the infrastructure that artists, creative workers, and cultural organizations need to make Boston their home.'
Malcolm Gay can be reached at
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