Cultural Districts Designation Program

Opportunity for Texas arts organizations, local arts agencies, government agencies, and college arts institutions to designate special areas within cities and communities as cultural districts. Applicants must contact program staff and submit a letter of intent prior to submitting an application. The designation of cultural districts is meant to harness the power of cultural resources to stimulate economic development and community revitalization.

As authorized by H.B. 2208 of the 79th Legislature, the Texas Commission on the Arts can designate cultural districts in Texas. In this program, an organization by itself or representing a collaborative effort will file an application to recognize their cultural district. Cultural districts are special zones that harness the power of cultural resources to stimulate economic development and community revitalization. These districts can become focal points for generating businesses, attracting tourists, stimulating cultural development and fostering civic pride.

TCA recognizes that a thriving creative sector is a powerful economic development asset. Cultural district development is one strategy that helps a community boost their economies while realizing other cultural and civic benefits. The outcomes of cultural districts extend beyond the arts and benefit all members of a community. Goals may include:

• Attracting artists and cultural enterprises to the community. Artists, cultural institutions, and creative enterprises all contribute to a community’s economic potential. Not only do they generate direct economic activity, but artists and creative entrepreneurs infuse communities with energy and innovation.
• Encouraging business and job development. Cultural districts can create a hub of economic activity that contributes to the community being an appealing place to live, visit, and conduct business. A thriving cultural scene helps an area to prosper when consumers drawn to cultural attractions patronize other nearby businesses. This can result in the creation of new economic opportunities and jobs.
• Addressing specific needs of a community. Cultural districts are a highly adaptable economic development approach that allows a community to make use of unique conditions, assets, and opportunities.
• Establishing tourism destinations. Cultural districts are marketable tourism assets that highlight the distinct identity of a community and encourage in-state, out of state, and international visitors.
• Preserving and reusing historic buildings. Some cultural districts are very involved in historic preservation. Adaptive reuse and rehabilitation of older buildings through preservation tax credits can result in structural and façade improvements. These rehabilitated buildings provide opportunities for affordable artist live/work space and new homes for cultural organizations.
• Enhancing property values. Successful districts combine improvements to public spaces (such as parks, waterfronts, and pedestrian corridors) along with property development. The redevelopment of abandoned properties, historic sites, and recruiting businesses to occupy vacant spaces can contribute to reduced vacancy rates and enhanced property values.
• Fostering local cultural development. The establishment of a cultural district provides a focal point for celebrating and strengthening a community’s cultural identity. Cultural districts highlight existing cultural amenities and work to recruit and establish new artists, cultural industries, and organizations.