CITY OF GALVESTON’S COMMISSON ON THE ARTS TO HOST PUBLIC MEETINGS
CONCERNING FORMATION OF DOWNTOWN ARTS DISTRICT
GALVESTON ISLAND, TEXAS -- The City of Galveston’s Commission on the Arts will host two public informational meetings regarding the formation of a Downtown Cultural Arts District. Meetings will be held on Thursday, May 10 and again Tuesday, May 15th at 6pm in Edna’s Room at The Grand 1894 Opera House, 2020 Postoffice Street.
Currently, sixteen cities throughout Texas have received an official state designation for their cultural districts from the Texas Commission for the Arts. These cities vary in size and range from smaller communities such as Abilene and Dennison to large metropolitan cities such as Dallas and Houston.
A cultural district is defined as “a well-recognized, labeled, mixed-use area of a community where a high concentration of cultural facilities serves as an anchor to attract residents and tourists.” These cultural facilities are broadly defined and include major art institutions, popular attractions, restaurants, nightclubs, parks, movie theatres, and tourism sites. These unique areas can boost a city’s revitalization in many ways beyond simply attracting visitors. Once a city is granted the cultural district designation, it is automatically put on the Texas Commission for the Arts website as a “destination for cultural tourism.”
Commission board members include Martha J. Terrill, chair; Robert Clepper, John Gorman, Karen Kislingbury, Karla Klay, Maureen Patton, Kathy Van Dewalli, Stephanie Thomas, and Rusty Legg as City Council member representing the area.
For more information, contact Kathy Van Dewalli at 409.770.5056.