4 minute read
Fall River CAN
by Sebastian Clarkin
“Eight years ago you didn’t see or hear all this art, culture, and tourism talk,” says Sandy Dennis. That’s why, in 2014, Dennis and her husband Dave launched AHA! Fall River, in an effort to showcase the best of what the Spindle City has to offer.
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It was a good year to hail from the Whaling City – thanks to organizations like AHA! (Arts, History, Architecture), New Bedford’s cultural renaissance was beginning to hit its stride. Fall River? Not so much.
Sandy and Dave Dennis set out to change that.
Originally a spin-off from AHA! New Bedford, the now-christened Creative Arts Network (CAN) has been an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit since 2017 – an acknowledgement that Fall River has required a bespoke touch for its arts community to flourish.
CAN’s community calendar (found at creativerartnetwork.org) has, from the organization’s inception, proven to be an invaluable resource for artists and cultural icons, as well as for anyone looking to engage in the arts.
“We have coordinated and run close to 400 events with well over 50,000 attendees,” says Dennis. “We’ve collaborated on major events and projects with leading organizations, and we’ve formed long-lasting relationships with major stakeholders such as MassDOT, Mass Coastal Railroad, and Bristol (BCC), to name a few.”
What started a small community project soon became a state-wide resource. In CAN’s words: "a local focus and a regional strategy." And then the pandemic hit.
Creative solutions
The disruption posed by the pandemic was significant, but far from fatal. Like others, CAN adapted, and discovered new ways to promote culture in a world of quarantines and social distancing.
First, CAN set out to understand the full impact of the pandemic on the arts and culture of Fall River. According to Dennis, CAN would frequently survey the participants in their events for feedback. “You can never get enough data!” she says. “Data is what can drive the future of art, culture, and tourism.”
So it only made sense for CAN to develop and distribute one of the first surveys to address Covid in the arts and culture sector (which you can still participate in on their website). The results from this survey served as a guiding light for how the organization could best serve the community.
The past two years have been filled with Zoom meetings and trainings, as well as virtual events with artists through Facebook and YouTube. These not only allowed people to continue to enjoy art and music, but helped provide funding to artists who would otherwise be cut off from their audiences.
Meanwhile, CAN has flexed its advocacy muscles to set the foundation for a stronger post-pandemic Fall River through public policy. With CAN’s guidance, Fall River is now home to the Waterfront Cultural District – the 50th official cultural district in Massachusetts.
CAN's Public Art Policy, proposed to the City Council, recognizes the value of public art and provides, "engaging, imaginative spaces that enliven the public experience, foster community, celebrate unique stories and collective history, and inspire us to experience the world with fresh perceptions."
CAN has also established the symbolic power of Fall River’s official ornamental flower, the hydrangea, and now June 25 is Hydrangea Day in the city. Hydrangeas are believed to have been brought to America by Azorean immigrants, and today the flower still serves as a cultural tether between the Azores and the Azorean diaspora. (Google Faial to see why it’s called the “Blue Island.”) This is all a part of “Hortensia: the Hydrangea Project,” CAN’s concerted effort to address “connectivity, beautification, and culture.”
According to Dennis, “We’ve been working to secure a two-plus-acre piece of land to grow, store, and care for our plants. We also plan to install a greenhouse for more plantings, a retail shed, and a small outdoor venue for lectures and small events.”
For anyone looking to contribute, CAN has developed its Adopt-a-Spot program, allowing businesses and individuals to sponsor a plot and ensure a more beautiful Fall River.
Throughout the pandemic, CAN also continued to seek sources of funding, began holding outdoor events, and becan collaborations with educational institutions.
After almost two years apart, CAN held its first in-person annual meeting this past January at Heritage State Park, where they set forth their ambitious strategy for 2022. It was time to focus on the future.
