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Town in early stages of applying for cultural district designation

FILE PHOTO./JOHN CARDILLO

The Hopkinton Center for the Arts will host a public meeting later this month for residents to discuss establishing a cultural district in town.

The meeting is scheduled for Monday, Sept. 28, at 6 p.m., and will be held in the upper loft of the HCA. Director Kelly Grill explained there already is a committee working on an application to designate the town’s cultural district.

“[The meeting] is really to educate the community on what it means should we get the designation,” Grill explained.

Cultural districts in Massachusetts are designated by the Mass Cultural Council (MCC). The program was initiated in 2011 following legislation and is intended to “[drive] economic growth, strengthen our distinctive local character and improve the quality of life of families across Massachusetts,” according to the MCC website. It further defines these districts as easy to navigate areas that promote economic, cultural and artistic activity.

Grill said that the district envisioned for Hopkinton could stretch from Weston Nurseries up to the HCA’s campus on Hayden Rowe Street, and also would encompass downtown. It would include Center School, which would serve as the center of a “defined, navigable area with a concentration of cultural, creative, historic and community assets” required by MCC.

“Having Center School finished and as a gathering spot is just the ideal location for … the district,” said Grill.

The HCA is working with the town on a public-private partnership to renovate Center School. The building is intended to be mixed-use once renovated, hosting space for both town offices and HCA programming.

Grill also cited cultural events at the Town Common such as PolyArts in the proposal to focus the cultural district on Center School.

According to the HCA director, the designation would create additional duties along with providing incentives and benefits. Grill said there will need to be a liaison working on marketing the district and maintaining the town’s cultural events calendar on an associated website.

However, Grill shared that the designation would allow artists and businesses in the district to apply for special grants. Partnering with the state would open up “funding for things like marketing, public art projects … things to improve the district,” she noted.

“The focus is economic development, cultural destinations, visitors,” said Grill. The overall goal is “improving the quality of life downtown and support for artists,” she added.

The meeting on Sept. 28 is an early step in the process. The town’s application is due to MCC by February, and Grill remarked that it could take over a year of coordination with MCC before a determination is reached.

“They want to see that there’s a plan to make sure that this designation continues to thrive and grow and we find ways to be self-supporting,” Grill said.

— NICK SCHOFIELD

Latest News

At its meeting Thursday night, the School Committee decided to adopt a three-run transportation schedule for the 2027-28 school year, which sets the start times for the district’s schools.

The School Committee on Thursday heard from assistant superintendent Jeffrey LaBroad regarding teacher retention rates and the district’s educator mentoring programs

Crews will be completing work on driveway aprons at Town Hall this week along with other miscellaneous projects.

MassDOT will stage overnight ramp closures at the I-90/I-495 interchange in Hopkinton starting tonight.

Ann Alexander, 77, passed away Sept. 5. She was a 1967 graduate of Hopkinton High School.

Ryan Holland, 53, died Sept. 3. He was raised in Hopkinton.

Town meetings tonight include the Sustainable Green Committee (6), Charter Review Committee (6), Planning Board (7) and Commission on Disability (7).

Photo of the Day

Members of Old Guard New England practice a rifle salute at the edge of Town Common ahead of Friday’s memorial service commemorating the 25th anniversary of 9/11. Click here for more photos.

PHOTO/NICK SCHOFIELD