Montserrat College of Art in Beverly, Massachusetts, is, as our tagline says, “Where Creativity Works.”
Not only are we producing the next generation of creative thinkers and visual communicators, we are also investing in efforts underway to enhance the vibrancy of the economic and cultural environment in downtown Beverly, and throughout the North Shore’s creative economy. This is thanks in part to a generous planning grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).
In partnership with the city of Beverly and Beverly Main Streets, Montserrat has received $75,000 of a $150,000 matching grant from the NEA to develop the strategy and implementation plan for an arts and cultural district for downtown Beverly. As lead advisor and consultant on the project, Montserrat has retained Adele Fleet Bacow of Community Partners Consulting, one of the most respected and experienced urban planning consultants in America.
The entire Montserrat community is excited about the opportunity this grant offers to work with Beverly Main Streets and the city to broaden the scope of the college’s contributions beyond the campus, to make transformational change in the physical, social and economic climate, and to create a sense of place in our downtown. Our work to conceive, implement and foster a thriving cultural district will have a lasting impact on future generations who will live, study, work and visit Beverly.
Creative Economy Programming
Other recent developments at the college underscore the balance between our dual focus on visual arts education and professional preparation for successful participation in the creative economy.
As well as investing in downtown Beverly, Montserrat has also assumed the role of lead partner in supporting the work of the Creative Economy Association of the North Shore (CEANS). In concert with the Salem Partnership, The Enterprise Center at Salem State University and the North Shore Economic Alliance, Montserrat hopes to not only contribute its ability to promote and coordinate work of CEANS, but also bring its educational programming to entrepreneurs and artists regionally.
In that vein, the college has partnered with the Arts and Business Council to establish a new home for the council’s professional Artist’s Toolbox (APT) program on our Beverly campus.
APT offers a nine-month professional certificate program for emerging and mid-career visual artists to master business challenges while sharpening marketing, networking, studio practices and sole proprietorship skills.
In the past eight years, the program has helped more than 200 artists map career goals, market work, understand legal rights, approach galleries, discover new sales venues, launch social media campaigns and build important networks. Now, this expertise joins with the creativity of Montserrat’s studio programming to create a well-rounded certificate program to help working artists move their careers to the next level. Yet another way the college’s forward-thinking programming is creating change in the economic climate for creatives.
At every level, from the college’s undergraduate curriculum, to professional development for working adults, to its home in Beverly and to the region beyond, Montserrat College of Art plays a vital and transformational role in the lives of individuals and the community. In doing so, Montserrat continually strives to fulfill its mission of education and service.
Stephen D. Immerman is president of Montserrat College of Art in Beverly.
