About Creative New Gloucester
From the Shakers to contemporary artists, musicians, and designers, New Gloucester has a long heritage of artistic and creative people, organizations and enterprises. The Creative New Gloucester Project was formed to inventory these artistic and cultural assets and make this information accessible via web-based directory that connects and celebrates this important and vibrant part of our community.
This site is the result of a volunteer effort that started in the spring of 2007 and will continue to grow and evolve in response to the needs and ideas of community members. Check out the Creative Network directory and local calendar of events, and join us for a Creative New Gloucester Network potluck supper!
And if you are an artist or business person engaged in an arts/creative sector business live and/or work in New Gloucester, please share information about your work through the Creative Network directory.
About the Creative Economy
New Gloucester and other Maine communities have always had people engaged in artistic, cultural and creative work. What has only been realized recently is how much these activities contribute to our local economy and quality of life. The idea for Creative New Gloucester grew out of the town's economic development planning process.
According to Richard Florida “Human creativity is the ultimate economic resource. The ability to come up with new ideas and better ways of doing things is ultimately what raises productivity and thus living standards.” (The Rise of the Creative Class, 2002, p. xiii).
Google “creative economy” and you’ll find a variety of definitions. Some focus on the arts and culture, while others include technology and agricultural enterprises.
Creative New Gloucester has chosen to focus its efforts on the arts and cultural sector.
The New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA) represents the creative economy as encompassing creative businesses and organizations and people who are engaged in creating products from original ideas, and the places/ communities where they live and work.
To read more about the creative economy: [these are all pdf’s]
Maine’s Creative Economy Community Handbook
The Creative Economy: A New Definition
The Creative Economy in Maine: Measurement and Analysis
Town of New Gloucester Business and Economic Development Plan
