Cambridge,
MA (Monday, June 25, 2018)—Recent events have placed the importance of local
Cambridge artists in the spotlight. High-profile stories like the sale of the
EMF building, which served as a studio space for hundreds of musicians, were a
catalyst for conversations amongst both the City Council and residents about
displacement, investment, and the future of the arts in Cambridge.
To begin
this effort, Cambridge Mayor Marc C. McGovern announced today the creation of
the “Mayor’s Task Force to Support the Arts in Cambridge.” The task force will
be chaired by Cambridge City Councillor Alanna Mallon. The goal of this task
force will be to bring together artists, City staff, business associations, and
universities to discuss ways to better support both the arts and artists in the
city, and to make short- and long-term recommendations to the City Council.
This task force will also look specifically at Central Square, which is the
city’s named “Cultural District.”
“Arts are
essential to any vibrant city, and Cambridge needs to invest in attracting and
retaining artists through targeted public policy,” said Mayor McGovern. “By
creating this task force, it is my hope that we will develop a set of
recommendations that will enhance the arts in Cambridge in a lasting and
sustainable way,” he added.
Currently,
the City has several initiatives that aim to rehabilitate Central Square, such
as the proposed Business Improvement District and Arts Zoning Overlay, and
other potential projects that should have future artist involvement.
The Artist Task Force will be a way for the City
to engage directly with the artist community. “It’s clear that a general
appreciation of arts and culture, or symbolic statements that go unsupported by
concrete action are no longer enough. If we are going to brand neighborhoods
like Central Square as an ‘arts and culture destination,’ and host events
around the City that feature local artists or live music, they should have a
prominent voice in our policy making,” said Councillor Alanna Mallon. “We can
either let the identity of neighborhoods like Central Square be claimed by
outside development pressures, or we can let it be created by a thriving local
arts community.”
Further information
will be forthcoming as this task force moves forward. Please contact Wilford Durbin, Chief of Staff, at wdurbin@cambridgema.gov.
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