Nantucket’s Cultural District Janet Schulte
Nantucket’s rich cultural heritage can be discovered across the island in its houses, museums, theatres, galleries, architecture, and open spaces. One of the highest concentrations of these cultural assets can be found in Nantucket’s Cultural District, a designation awarded by the Massachusetts Cultural Council to a defined area that overlaps the downtown historic district. Contained within the 28 blocks of the Cultural District are museums, art galleries, theaters, retail shops, restaurants, and charming historic buildings. Some of the island’s most iconic cultural organizations are found within the District including the Whaling Museum, the Maria Mitchell Association’s Aquarium, the Nantucket Atheneum, the Dreamland Film and Cultural Center, the Community Music Center, the Nantucket Culinary Center, Sherburne Hall, Artist Association of Nantucket’s Johnson Gallery, the White Heron Theatre, and Theatre Workshop of Nantucket.
Wharf. The calendar will allow guests to screen the list of activities using different filters, and to proceed directly to the organization’s website to acquire a ticket.
Most of the island’s festivals offer some type of programming within the borders of the Cultural District during their scheduled happenings. The Nantucket Art, Book, Film, Garden, and Comedy Festivals all offer performances, concerts, lectures, and events in the several churches and performance halls housed in the District. These buildings serve as venues for organizations that do not have their own facilities to provide programming. Additionally, the small pocket parks that dot the District frequently feature musicians, puppeteers, and story-tellers – some are scheduled while others are impromptu.
The Nantucket Cultural District is managed by the Town’s Department of Culture and Tourism located at 25 Federal Street. Here, the Visitors Center staff can provide recommendations and information about the island’s cultural institutions to plan a day filled with activities for a memorable experience of Nantucket’s cultural heritage.
In 2021, the Nantucket Cultural District will apply to renew its designation from the Massachusetts Cultural Council. As part of the renewal process, the District’s work group will review the current borders of the district with an eye toward expanding them to include more institutions that celebrate Nantucket’s diverse cultural heritage including the African Meeting House and the Lightship Basket Museum. There will be an emphasis placed on promoting more collaborations in programming between the cultural institutions and among institutions and individuals to further celebrate the diversity of Nantucket’s cultural expressions within the District. Reaching beyond the borders, the District leadership will encourage organizations across the island to bring programming within the District so that the breadth of the island’s cultural institutions can be acknowledged, recognized, and enjoyed.
Since its designation in 2016, the Nantucket Cultural District has offered a centralized calendar of cultural activities at www.nantucketculturaldistrict.org. The listings range from art gallery openings, public talks and outdoor markets to paint nights and trivia contests in restaurants. There’s almost always something going on in the Cultural District throughout the year. Coming in summer 2021, an electronic kiosk displaying the calendar will be housed in the Thomas Macy Warehouse on Straight www.nantucketchamber.org • 65
