There is a vibrant arts scene in New Rochelle and the City wishes to support artists and identify locations and policies that can help creativity and arts enterprises thrive. 

Overview
The City hired CivicMoxie, LLC to create a plan for the new arts district to: Civic Moxies's analysis included.
*Conducting a survey of artists and arts/cultural organizations to determine space and affordability needs 
*Identifying the best location and boundaries for the arts and cultural district 
*Recommendation of policies, governance and zoning to support arts and cultural uses and protect and grow affordable work and work/live spaces

Arts and Cultural District Plan-History
The Arts & Cultural District Plan has been finalized by the Department of Development and Civic Moxie.  The plan includes zoning recommendations for an area of the district to create live work space for artists.  Concurrent to the establishment of an Arts and Cultural District, the City has updated its Comprehensive Plan which includes the recommended zoning changes for the Arts & Cultural District.

November 19, 2015: Civic Moxie presentation to City Council- Artist survey. 
View powerpoint presentation. 

February 4, 2016:  Civic Moxie presentation- Draft Arts-Cultural District Conceptual Plan. 
View powerpoint presentation.

November 9, 2016: Civic Moxie presentation- Arts & Cultural District Final Plan.
View powerpoint presentation

2016 Final Plan
View plan

FAQs
1. Why did New Rochelle establish an Arts + Cultural District? There is a vibrant arts scene in New Rochelle, with a long history behind it. Some believe that all of the vibrant activities and people are somewhat hidden, and that the arts and culture of the City should be more visible. The City to supports artists of all kinds by identifying locations and policies that can help creativity, culture, and arts enterprises thrive.

Establishing a special district dedicated to arts and culture may help existing arts organizations, cultural groups, and artists thrive, connect, and grow, while promoting economic activity and attracting visitors and businesses.  The district may also attract art buyers by offering a cluster of spaces and greater visibility for the arts. In addition, an arts and cultural district also offers amenities for residents of all ages, such as entertainment and educational programs.

2. Why do we need a plan? To create a successful Arts + Cultural district, the City needs to have a clear vision of what it would look like, who should be involved in establishing it, and what policies and strategies it should use. The plan will provide a roadmap showing how we can move towards a flourishing Arts + Cultural District, with goals and recommendations for both the short term and long term.

3. Who worked on the Arts + Cultural District Plan? 
The City hired urban planning firm CivicMoxie, LLC , based in the Boston area, with strong experience working on arts district plans, working with arts organizations and artists, and expertise in urban design, economic development, other city planning projects. Along with economic development consultant Seidman Consulting, the CivicMoxie team has developed a plan for the new district.

• Conducting a survey of artists and arts/cultural organizations to determine
  space and affordability needs 
• Leading public meetings and other community outreach efforts
  Identifying the best location and boundaries for the arts and cultural district
• Creating a vision for the district including overall themes, location, urban design and programming recommendations
• Recommending policies, governance, and zoning to support arts and
  cultural uses and protect and grow affordable work and work/live spaces 

City officials, key stakeholders, and local arts organization leaders, as well as individual artists, are also involved in planning the district—and will work to make it happen once the plan is complete!

4. Where is the district? That’s part of the discussion! The City along with CivicMoxie want to know where local artists, organizations, and community members think it should be located.  In addition to conducting public outreach and surveying artists, the CivicMoxie team is studying the current demand for and supply of arts events, performance and work space, and various real estate uses.  They’re also mapping out potential sites for the district and conducting fieldwork to better understand the geography of arts and culture in New Rochelle.

5. Where can I find more information? For updates about the Arts + Cultural District Plan you can email Suzanne Reider, Senior Project Manager at the City’s at sreider@newrochelleny.com to join the plan’s email list and find out about upcoming public events and other news, or track #ArtsCultureNR on Twitter. For more information about CivicMoxie, please visit www.civicmoxie.com.