In August 2015, Haley House, Madison Park Development Corporation, and The American City Coalition (TACC) partnered in support of ongoing efforts to establish a cultural district in Roxbury by researching regional and national best practices, identifying technical assistance needs, and seeking funding.  A growing list of organizational supporters including Roxbury Community College, Historic Boston Incorporated.  Skylab Boston, Dudley Square Main Streets, The BayState Banner, Boston Public Schools, The National Center of Afro-American Artists, JazzBoston!, Celebrity Series of Boston, Nuestra Comunidad, Catalyst Ventures, Gail Jackson Communications, and Darryls Corner Bar & Kitchen are sharing their time, expertise and ideas in support of the cultural district planning process.  In December 2015, the project was awarded $25,000 in funding from The Catalyst Fund (pooled funding from The Boston Foundation, Boston LISC, The Hyams Foundation, The Kresge Foundation, and the United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley).  In March 2016, Kelly Chunn & Associates was engaged as a consultant to convene and work with all stakeholders in implementing an inclusive planning program for a cultural district.  An application for cultural district designation to the Massachusetts Cultural Council is due no later than September 15, 2016.

Media coverage on the movement has appeared in The Baystate Banner, The Boston Globe, Dorchester Reporter, and Kelly Chunn and Joyce Stanley stopped by the Channel 5 studio to discuss the Dudley Square-Eliot Square cultural district with CityLine’s Karen Holmes Ward.

What might a cultural district that focuses on the Dudley Square and Eliot Square areas of Roxbury look like?  What are our cultural assets?  How might we use this cultural designation to collectively publicize and share some of the programming and cultural assets of this neighborhood?

Join the conversation!  Attend the next public advisory meeting and please help us to map Roxbury’s cultural assets.  Access the mapping tool here.  It’s live until August 3.

(photo credit: The BayState Banner)