Dear Friend,

In this issue we feature New Bedford’s vibrant and diverse creative economy that continues to thrive in the form of festivals, visual and performing arts, small business ventures, leading edge companies, and a growing number of artists living and working in the city. As evident in our everyday dealings, companies expanding or relocating consider a city’s creative economy a key factor. Internally, the city continues to work to better coordinate and underpin the efforts of many in this diverse economic sector--and this is only the beginning...

Sincerely,

Matthew A. Morrissey
Executive Director

  New Bedford’s creative economy a key factor in city’s momentum

New Bedford, MA – In 1993 the founders of ArtWorks! envisioned that the arts and artists would become a critical factor in New Bedford’s renaissance. As the 21st century unfolds, arts-related businesses, institutions and organizations represent a growing sector of all jobs and a robust economic growth sector for the city. Creative industries, entrepreneurs and new ways of learning are building healthy and dynamic communities across our country adding value to the quality of life for all and engaging youth in 21st century careers.

ArtWorks! Partners for the Arts & Community [read more]
 

  New Bedford, America’s largest commercial fishing port, hosts the 5th Working Waterfront Festival, a celebration of commercial fishing culture

Rounding out a busy season of city festivals, the Working Waterfront Festival brings together in a very literal sense both the creative and the economic aspects of the city’s “Creative Economy”. The festival represents the seafood and fishing industry and the varied arts and culture of a seaport steeped in history and tradition.

FESTIVAL OVERVIEW
More than simply a celebration, the Working Waterfront Festival is a unique opportunity for the public to get a firsthand look at the culture of fishing [read more]
 

  City orchestra nurtures new talent; promises to delight audience opening night

Solo instruments and small ensembles undeniably make beautiful music, but without an orchestra, musicians cannot achieve what 12-year-old Fairhaven violinist Kimberlee Joseph describes as the "big sounds."

Starting this fall, the New Bedford Symphony Orchestra is going to make the experience of playing with a full complement of musicians available to young instrumentalists under the age of 22 when it launches the New Bedford Symphony Youth Orchestra.

"It's coming together rather magically," [read more]

  A “Salute to Veterans” art exhibit to feature the original art of Veterans

Starting on AHA! Night, Thursday, September 11th, 2008 the Veterans Transition House will present a “Salute to the Veterans” Art Exhibit at the Gallery X, 169 William St., New Bedford, MA. 

The Exhibit will display over 100 original paintings by Veterans Transition House residents who participate in the Art as Therapy program under the direction of Cindy Ricard. 

The highlight of the exhibit will be the reception and unveiling by Mayor Scott Lang of an [read more]
 

  Zeiterion's new season brims with diverse entertainment

It was a very big deal for New Bedford in October 2005 when Lily Tomlin took the stage at the Zeiterion to open the performance season, the venerable theater's first under the guiding hand of the newly appointed director Katherine Knowles.

It had been a long time since this city had hosted one of the biggest names in show business, but as the sellout crowd that night amply demonstrated, New Bedford was hungry for more.

The following year another big star [read more]

  City-wide artist event celebrates 4th year

Over 100 artists will exhibit in 15 historic buildings including mills, a former church, and other vintage buildings throughout New Bedford. The artists will open their studios for the fourth year in this growing event. New Bedford Open Studios is a free event giving the public an opportunity to talk to the artists and view art in the working studios in which it is made.
 
In the past three years, the New Bedford Open Studios weekend has drawn people from Central Massachusetts, Boston, Providence [read more]

  Creative restoration: the Cummings Building, downtown New Bedford readies for living-loft spaces

When Dubliner Phillip Dwane set foot in New Bedford four years ago, he could've sworn he was in his native Erin.

"New Bedford reminds me of old Dublin— especially along the docks—before Dublin was developed. I don't want to say 'magical,' because that's cliché, but downtown New Bedford has got character—a unique, old-European charm," said Dwane, who recently purchased two buildings downtown.

He's currently restoring a building behind the Whaling Museum, at 42 North Water St., which he [read more]

  Partnership melds creativity and science in downtown New Bedford

NEW BEDFORD — In an effort to increase interest in math and science education in the Greater New Bedford area and strengthen ties to the role of the ocean in the region, the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth and the Ocean Explorium announced a new collaboration Thursday.

UMass Dartmouth will provide financial, faculty and student support to the Ocean Explorium with the goals of increasing interest by kindergarten through Grade 12 students in science and math and encouraging students to stay in school and plan for college [read more]

  Orpheum alive with vaudeville

NEW BEDFORD — For a few hours Saturday, the deteriorating Orpheum Theatre regained some of the charm and energy with which it opened in 1912.

Men in top hats and women in flowing dresses hurried through the foyer, smiling and whispering to each other excitedly on their way to a vaudeville performance.

Those well-dressed patrons were the real performers though — extras who will fill scenes in an upcoming documentary intended to raise awareness about [read more]

  Practical business tactics for the local economy

Company leaders feeling ill effects from this troubled economy, who may want to immediately improve business performance, are invited to join an interactive panel and workshop on September 18, 2008 which brings the best practical advice from experts in marketing, finance, accounting, operations and corporate revitalization.

The Massachusetts Small Business Development Center, the New Bedford Area Chamber of Commerce, BankFive and the New England Business Bulletin are sponsoring this outstanding program which will cover [read more]