Already considered so by many, Williamstown, Massachusetts is looking to be officially designated as a cultural destination.
Home to The Clark Art Institute, the Williamstown Theatre Festival, the Williams College Museum of Artand other attractions, the northern Berkshire town is not home to one of the 19 officially designated cultural districts in the commonwealth. Fran Lapidus set out to change this.
“Everyone assumes and it’s true that Williamstown is a cultural district, it totally is, but the Massachusetts Cultural Council has an official way of designating that town is such with signage, publicity and we are put on certain websites,” Lapidus said. “I just thought it would be a great opportunity to officially put Williamstown in this kind of spotlight.”
Lapidus is a member of the town’s cultural district committee, which formed in January and represents about 15 local organizations. The Massachusetts Cultural Council has reviewed the town’s application and made a site visit in April. Lapidus says the Council will make a decision on the designation May 20th.
“We wanted to get this all done in time for the celebrations that are going to be occurring this summer, with the reopening of The Clark and the 60th anniversary of the [Williamstown] Theatre Festival,” she said. “We want people to know about it. We are the only Williamstown in the state of Massachusetts.”
Lapidus says the walkable district will include The Clark, the Williamstown Theater Festival and the college’s art museum.
“Besides those three big jewels in our crown there are many other events and venues in Williamstown that are not so well known,” said Lapidus.
One of those lesser known venues, located in the back of the town library, is the Williamstown Historical Museum, formally known as the House of Local History. Director Sarah Currie says additional signage will be a major boost.
“It will help the museum itself promote its mission which is primarily to preserve and promote the history of Williamstown to residents, but we are really interested in activating a broader constituency,” said Currie.
The district will also include hiking trails and recreational fields. Currie says advertising more tourist destinations will benefit the entire town.
“A broader affect on the levels of visitation and length of stay of folks and that hopefully is going to benefit businesses,” said Currie.
The museum’s summer exhibit titled “Big Days in A Small Town” will look at large celebrations in the town since it was settled in 1749. The exhibit is timely as one of four remaining copies of the Magna Carta will be on display at The Clark from September until November. The nearly 800-year old English document will be placed in the same room as original copies of the U.S. Declaration of Independence and Constitution on loan from Williams College, according to The Clark’s director Michael Conforti.
“It will be an extraordinary experience for anybody interested in American and English history and the ties between the two of them,” said Conforti.
Pittsfield is the only other cultural district in Berkshire County. Shelburne Falls in Franklin County is also home to a designated cultural district.
