Ridgefield Earns State’s First-Ever “Cultural District” Designation

Fox 61| April 30, 2021 

A part of the town of Ridgefield has been designated as a “Cultural District” – the first of its kind in Connecticut.

In October 2019, a law originally proposed by then-State Rep. John Frey became effective, allowing the State to designate a specific area of a city or town as a “Cultural District”.

The Cultural District designation recognizes that Ridgefield has an artistic and economic center of cultural activities that makes its community stand out.

“The people of Ridgefield have long appreciated the abundance of arts and culture in town,” stated Rudy Marconi, First Selectman of the Town of Ridgefield. “We are thrilled that the state also recognizes all that Ridgefield has to offer, by giving us the first Cultural District designation.”

A Cultural District designation will help to promote tourism, encourage artists and creative businesses, strengthen the distinctive character of Ridgefield and highlight the culture and history of the community.

“It’s like the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval,” says Ridgefield Economic & Community Development Commission (ECDC) Chair Geoffrey Morris. “It’s a significant accomplishment for the town.”

With this new designation, Ridgefield’s Cultural District will be promoted and marketed by the CT Department of Economic Community Development (DECD), which includes the Office of the Arts and the Office of Tourism, along with Ridgefield’s Designated Regional Service Organization which is the Cultural Alliance of Western CT.

 

RELATED POSTS