Arts and Culture of Gloucester: Redefining the Concept of 'District

seARTS Annual Meeting
28 February 2011

Susan Silberberg-Robinson
Planning Consultant
Lecturer in Urban Design and Planning, MIT

Tonight’s Agenda

 Gloucester Today: The Waterfront,
Fishing/Maritime, and the 21st
Century
 The Arts and Culture of Cape Ann
 Cultural “district” thoughts
 A few lessons from the ISA,
Waterfront Planning in Boston,
and Cultural Planning
 Closing Thoughts

Source: http//:schooner-adventure.org

28 February 2011 Arts and Culture of Gloucester: Redefining the Concept of “District” ©Susan Silberberg-Robinson

Framing the Issues

 Gloucester has been defined by the harbor, the
waterfront, the fishing and maritime industries
 Pride in maritime history
 Concern and fear for the place of maritime
traditions and livelihoods in the present and
future
 Exploration and optimism of the defining
elements of Gloucester in 2011 and beyond: what
is the place of the harbor, the waterfront and
maritime traditions in the life of the city and it’s Source: http//:schooner-adventure.org

residents?
 Collision of these elements – no one wants to
foreclose on future opportunities by making bad
decisions TODAY.


The HarborWalk

Existing HarborWalk at St. Peter’s Square. Source:
City of Gloucester at http://goucester-ma.gov,
Gloucester HarborWalk document

Source: City of Gloucester at http://goucester-ma.gov


I4-C2 Parcel

Views of harbor from I4-C2. Source: City of
Gloucester at http://goucester-ma.gov, Gloucester
HarborWalk document

Part of parcel I4-C2. Source: City of Gloucester at http://goucester-ma.gov, Gloucester HarborWalk
document


Birdseye Site

Source: www.glosta.com


Maritime
Infrastructure

Every city on the water has
obsolete industrial and/or
maritime waterfront…there
is a glut

Once redeveloped, it is
unlikely this waterfront will
ever return to previous
maritime/industrial use – a
fact that stymies action

Common for communities
to experience real stress
around redevelopment
Source: www.glosta.com decisions


Maritime
Infrastructure

Source: City of Gloucester at http://goucester-ma.gov, City of Gloucester Harbor Plan and Designated
Port Area Master Plan Approved December 11, 2009.


Harbor Plan

A second unintended impact has been the exclusion of
significant public access from the waterfront. In the
introduction to the 1994 DPA regulations, the state
agencies emphasize that:

“judicious planning of the use mix in the DPA and its
environs together with compatible incorporation of
public access facilities into the design of individual
projects can advance the quality-of-life objectives of the Source: City of Gloucester at
http://goucester-ma.gov, Gloucester
surrounding community without significant interference HarborWalk document

with maritime activities at or near the waterfront.”

The DPA regulations are not currently encouraging this
development approach.

Source: City of Gloucester at http://goucester-ma.gov, City of Gloucester Harbor Plan and
Existing dock at I4-C2. Source: City of
Designated Port Area Master Plan Approved December 11, 2009. page 6
Gloucester at http://goucester-ma.gov,
Gloucester HarborWalk document


Reconciling
Collisions

 Maritime
traditions
 Maritime pride
 Past may not
equal future
 Concern and fear
for preserving
traditions
 Where are the
jobs?
 Collision of these  What will be our
way of life?
elements – no one wants  Exploration and Source: http//:schooner-adventure.org
to foreclose on future optimism of new
traditions
opportunities by making
bad decisions TODAY.


Assets

 seARTS
 The Rocky Neck Art Colony
 Goetemann Residency
 Distinguished Artist/Teacher (D A/T)
 Cape Ann Museum (CAM)
 Nights on the Neck
 Rocky Neck Historic Art Trail
 The Gloucester Stage
 The Writer's Room
 Beauport Sleeper McCann House
 Rocky Neck Art Colony,
 North Shore Art Association
 The Ocean Alliance
 Mayor's Committee for the Arts
 Art Haven school arts program
 Museums/Learning Centers/Art
Cinema (downtown Gloucester)
 Cape Ann Museum
Source: seARTS
 Gloucester Maritime Heritage
Center
 Sargent House Museum
 Cape Ann Community Cinema


Arts and Culture

Arts Culture

the conscious use of skill and The integrated pattern of human
creative imagination especially in knowledge, belief, and behavior that
the production of aesthetic depends upon the capacity for learning
objects; and transmitting knowledge to
succeeding generations
also : works so produced
the customary beliefs, social forms, and
material traits of a racial, religious, or
social group;

also : the characteristic features of
everyday existence…shared by people in
a place or time
Source: www.mirriam-webster.com


Arts and Culture

Arts is in a place and Culture comes from a place,
time from a time, from a
community. It can include Art
Art can be superimposed on a Culture and cultural practices are of a
place and a people. Art can exist community (geographically, ethnically,
in a community without being of etc.) Culture comes from livelihoods, daily
the community. practices, values and beliefs. Culture is
not top down but rather is internally
Art can be institutionally driven, driven. Culture is the very core of a
externally drive, or internally community and represents past, present
community driven. It can be “top and future.
down.”


Cultural Vitality

 Cultural vitality is evidence of creating, disseminating,
validating, and supporting arts and culture as a dimension
of everyday community life.
- Maria Rosario Jackson, The Urban Institute Arts and Culture Indicators in
Community Building Project


Cultural Vitality

Cultural vitality encompasses a much more expansive view of
“artistic practice” within the community:
 cultural and societal practices, industries, memory, history and
tradition.
 crosses all boundaries of age, education and occupation
An arts and cultural district is a geographic district. But it is
also an ephemeral district and sphere of practice
encompassing:
• Public policy
• an educational zone
• an economic development strategy
• a zoning plan
• and more….

An Inclusive Model

The question is bigger
 What role will arts and culture (of our
community) play in our future?
• What is our public policy?
• What is our educational philosophy?
• What is our economic development
strategy?
Copyright ©2010 Dheera Venkatraman
• How does our zoning not only re-act but
pro-act?
 Who represents our culture at the table?


A Rephrasing of
the Question…

 It is about Arts and Culture
 The question must be answered through
cross-sector collaborations among city
officials and agencies, industries, artists,
developers, artist-focused organizations,
community development corporations, and
others.
 Some answers can be found through other
initiatives and the lessons learned:
 MetLife Foundation Innovative Space Awards (ISA)
and arts and culture projects and research
 Arts and Cultural District Planning
 Boston Waterfront Planning
 Cultural, education and non-profit facility planning
for the waterfront (FPA study)


Lessons from
other Researchers

 Nonprofit and public explicitly arts-related organizations
 Retail arts venues—bookstores, music stores, film theaters,
craft and art supply stores
 Non-arts venues with arts and cultural programming—
parks; libraries; ethnic associations, societies, and centers
 Festivals and parades
 Arts-focused media outlets (print and electronic, including
web-based venues)
 Art schools
 Presence of working artists and tradition bearers

 Maria Rosario Jackson, The Urban Institute Cultural Vitality Indicators Project


Cultural Vitality

 Amateur art making
 Collective/community art making
 K–12 arts education
 Arts after-school programs
 Audience participation
 Purchase of artistic goods (materials for making art as well
as final arts products)
 Discourse about arts and culture in the media

 Maria Rosario Jackson, The Urban Institute Cultural Vitality Indicators Project


Cultural Vitality

• Public expenditures in support of the arts in all sectors (nonprofit,
public, and commercial)
• Foundation/philanthropic expenditures in support of the arts (nonprofit,
public, and commercial)
• Volunteering and personal giving to the arts
• Integration of arts and culture into other policy areas and
corresponding allocation of resources (e.g., community development,
education, parks and recreation, etc.)
• Broader interpretation of arts and culture and related impacts (beyond
economic and education impacts)
• Use of arts and culture related data
• Revised interpretation of stakeholders in arts and culture
• Broader Interpretation of strategic cultural investments (by arts and
other sectors)
• Design of neighborhoods and essential amenities
• Design of cultural districts and cultural facilities
- Maria Rosario Jackson, The Urban Institute Cultural Vitality Indicators Project

Lessons from
Research and ISA

 Creates an identity for an area…useful
for economic development and good
image
 Proven retention device for residents
and businesses
 Artist space attracts creative
entrepreneurs, enhancing regional
economic competitiveness
 Provides a creative and unique arts and
culture “cachet” which helps business
recruiting
Source: How Artist Space Matters by Metris Arts Consulting 2010


Lessons from
Research and ISA

 Increase surrounding property values
and return properties to the tax rolls
 Area businesses experience increased
demand for services
 New visitors to the area engage in
ancillary spending
Source: How Artist Space Matters by Metris Arts Consulting 2010


Lessons from
Research and ISA

 Arts spaces can be good fit for older Create a unique
buildings place that has no
competitive equal
 Enhanced public safety (real and (can’t be replicated in
perceived) the suburbs, in
“Lifestyle” centers, or
 Creation of new spaces open to the public other developments)
 Community “ownership” and stewardship
of space
 Educational opportunities
 Enhanced cultural awareness and pride
 Positive attitude of residents and visitors


Lessons from
Research and ISA

 Artists and arts orgs need help with building development
and ongoing facility management
 Small arts orgs and artists’ cooperatives can struggle with
maximizing:
 Size, relationship and organization of spaces
 Creative possibilities and alternative uses of spaces
 Marketability of space for enhanced revenue streams
 Building management takes away from art time…helpful
to have a partner
 Little knowledge of “value added” to a development
 Need assistance in engaging with community


Lessons from
Research and ISA

 Municipalities have a role to play in most
types of spaces
 Public agencies are often involved to
“prime” the projects:
 Property owners
 Bringing partners together
 Credibility and economies of scale
 Overall vision
 Providing “site ready” projects
(environmental cleanup, permitting,
liens and ownership issues resolved)


Lessons from
Research and ISA

 Developers and non-arts org need help in  Artists
understanding artists’ needs  Developers
 Developer expertise/ownership combined  Local
municipalities
with arts non-profit management and  Public agencies
organization is a powerful  Funders
combination/team  Investors
 Artist-focused
 Cultural organizations and civic groups organizations
are key players in ensuring success  CDCs
 Individual
 Arts and culture entrepreneurs/leaders Entrepreneurs
often go where others fear to tread…true
pioneers and risk takers


Lessons from
Research and ISA

 Collaborations can be complex
 Funding sources often come from a mind
boggling array of sources with complex
requirements
 Difficult to convince funders, community, policy
makers that projects are feasible and credible
 Can be a challenge to get proper advice on
development process
 Constant search for balance of affordable space
with high tech/sophisticated arts requirements


Lessons from
Research and ISA

 Strong leadership, equitable development
process -artists and community
 Artists integrated into leadership and/or
decision-making
 Deep knowledge of community -
responsive/born out of existing
community social/cultural history
 Attempts to balance expertise in artist
services/needs, affordable housing,
community development practices
 Excellent programming for
geographic/cultural community
 Savvy about building spaces,
development, value added
 Organizational and fiscal capacity Open Book 2.0, Minneapolis, MN, ISA
Honorable Mention 2009


Lessons Learned

 Charlestown Navy Yard Waterfront Activation Plan and
Facilities of Public Accommodation Study
 Waterfront land is difficult to redevelop:
 Developers need special skills and must be multi-talented
 State regulations and development frameworks can be complicated and
may not match current economic cycles nor match demand for space
 Waterfront space is premium cost – not well-suited to smaller non-
profits and educational and cultural uses without heavy subsidy or
iconic uses/structures (ICA, NE Aquarium in Boston)
 Use arts, culture, history and education in waterfront development to
link to broader efforts in community
 Cities must be proactive, visionary and champions of development
(must be in the driver’s seat and offer support for development)


Lessons Learned

 Complex enough to require an advisory support committee


Lessons Learned


The Pieces

Environment Waterfront Public Access

Fishing and Maritime

Tourism History Civic Pride

Arts and Culture
Economic Development

Education
Sustainability


 Be true to the culture of Gloucester and vision it
for the 21st Century
 Risk taking is necessary…but within an accepted
framework
 Innovation is the key to survival and sustainability
 Be proactive, not reactive
 Adopt an inclusive and broad definition of arts
and culture and back it up with public initiative,
vision and collaboration


 Create certainty in the development environment
 City wide waterfront planning and programming.
Don’t look on a site by site basis (less concern
then with piecemeal chipping away at maritime
base) – purpose of harbor plan but more than
this.
 Heavy recruitment of uses and industries and
even arts and cultural uses from outside
Gloucester
 Incremental is good but that doesn’t mean timid
 Strong leadership is essential – planning by
consensus alone will lead to a “lowest common
denominator solution”


Susan Silberberg-Robinson

Susan is Lecturer in Urban Design and Planning in the Department of Urban
Studies and Planning at MIT. As an urban designer, planner and architect, she
consults to municipalities, community-based clients, foundations, and cultural
organizations on projects related to design and community development with a
focus on arts and culture.

She has worked on the public waterfront plan for the Charlestown Navy Yard,
the master plan for the Worcester, MA Arts District, and the Vision 20/20 for
Concord, NH, a comprehensive plan for the state’s capital. She is currently
completing an artist housing feasibility study for the City of Jacksonville, FL.

As Associate Director of the MetLife Foundation Innovative Space Awards,
Susan is leading the research effort to identify innovative affordable artist space
projects and the ways in which artists engage with communities to effect
positive change and contribute to neighborhood livability and vitality.

Susan is on the Board of Directors of Historic Boston, Inc. and the Joshua Bates
Art Center in the South End of Boston.

617-253-2027 scsilber@mit.edu

Arts and Culture of Gloucester: Redefining the Concept of 'District

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

What's hot

What's hot (16)

Viewers also liked

Viewers also liked (6)

Similar to Arts and Culture of Gloucester: Redefining the Concept of 'District

Similar to Arts and Culture of Gloucester: Redefining the Concept of 'District (9)

More from seartsorg

More from seartsorg (12)

Arts and Culture of Gloucester: Redefining the Concept of 'District