Resources for Forming Cultural Districts

What is a Cultural District?
A Cultural District is a specific area of a city or town identified by the municipality that has a number of cultural facilities, activities and/or assets – both for profit and nonprofit. It is a walkable, compact area that is easy for visitors to recognize. It is a center of cultural activities – artistic and economic. It is a place in your city/town where community members congregate, and visitors may enjoy those places that make a community special. Because each community is unique, each Cultural District will look different.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):

Where can I find a general overview, standards & criteria, and how to qualify for the State’s investment?
Please review the official state guidelines here: CT Cultural Districts (DECD/Office of the Arts)

Is my town/city ready to form a Cultural District?
Cities and towns should assess their readiness to establish a Cultural District.

Confirm if your city or town is eligible by reviewing the Standards & Criteria.
Assess the inventory and location of cultural assets in the municipality.
Determine if you have a walkable district with a concentration of cultural assets.

What do you mean by “walkable”?

While there is no set size definition of “walkability”, the district must be of a reasonable size. There must be safe ways for pedestrians to travel around the district, and the district cannot be completely bisected by any area that would not be considered safe for pedestrians due to lack of infrastructure such as sidewalks/lighting/traffic, etc.

I think we are ready. How do we proceed?

Submit a letter of intent to establish a Cultural District to your Designated Regional Service Organization (DRSO). A list of statewide Designated Regional Service Organizations can be found here.

Contact
If you have questions, please contact your Designated Regional Service Organization (DRSO).