Area's cultural groups get windfall

By Kathy McCabe | February 19, 2006

Arts and business groups netted $138,000 in a state grant last week to promote cultural economic development along waterfronts, downtowns, and tourist sites north of Boston.

''This is a tremendous opportunity for the North Shore," said Dan Hunter, executive director of the Massachusetts Cultural Council, which administers the John and Abigail Adams Art Program. ''We no longer live in an economy that survives on manufacturing widgets. We live in an economy that relies increasingly on arts and culture."

A $43,000 grant shared by the regional tourist council in Peabody, the Essex National Heritage Commission, and the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem will be used to develop a tourist trail across Essex County inspired by ''Painting Summer in New England," an exhibit opening April 22 at the museum.

The Lynn Museum and Lynn Area Chamber of Commerce were among several groups that will use $45,000 to promote Third Thursdays in Central Square, a monthly promotion that aims to bring people to downtown Lynn, where arts businesses are growing.

SEArts, the Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce in Gloucester, and other groups will share $40,000 to promote tourism year-round, focusing on contemporary artists and revitalizing activity in the harbor area.

The Winthrop Cultural Council will use $10,000 to create programs to link the arts and business communities.

The local grants were among $1.35 million administered statewide by the council.

Governor Mitt Romney has proposed a $1 million funding cut in the Adams art program in his fiscal 2007 budget. But at least one local legislator vows to fight that.

''The budget process begins and ends in the House," said state Representative John Keenan, a Salem Democrat who is a member of the Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development. ''We will do everything we can to restore, and actually increase, funding."

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