I’ve mentioned this before on my website, but it is worth noting again in my blog. ArtCalendar.com has voted Pawtucket, RI as the #9 top city for working artists.
Pawtucket, Rhode Island is on the top 10 along with cities like Glasstown Arts District Millville, New Jersey, Haynie’s Corner Evansville, Indiana, Rising Sun, Indiana, Berea, Village of the Arts Kentucky, Bradenton, Florida, Chattanooga, Tennessee, Paducah, Kentucky, Clarksville, Missouri, Oil City, Pennsylvania.
Pawtucket, Rhode Island was noted for its low cost for work space, proximity to Providence and major highway I-195. It was also heralded for its governmental support, as well as its tax exempt arts district.
Pawtucket, Rhode Island is the city that inspired my film, and inspires this blog. Pawtucket is a city that didn’t take no for an answer when told they would never be able to catch Providence. Pawtucket saw a niche and they filled it. The Providence renaissance had been in effect for quite some time, the city is still to this day building, changing and growing. There is just one problem with Providence. It is too successful. Like any city on the move, it will eventually find itself in a predicament. The costs will rise, and those who don’t rise with it, will inevitably no longer be able to live in the city they love. This happened to Newport, Rhode Island, my home city. There are fewer and fewer of those who grew up in Newport still living there. In Providence, the rents went up, and the artists who could no longer afford them had to move out. Pawtucket saw a chance. Pawtucket found a way as a city to market directly to those artists who were being displaced. They built it into their core city values, and they are having a tremendous success. The city of Pawtucket’s plan is to be a city that works with the arts, and artists, to keep them around as a part of the fabric of the community.
This blog will endeaver to follow Pawtucket in its quest. The blog will also cover anything related to the Creative Economy, The Arts, and city planning for the new Creative Economy. Please bookmark this blog, or add us to your reader, so you can follow along as I learn more and more about this topic.
