Our network of loosely-affiliated artists and arts-service organizations spent the better part of 2016 in-gathering–i.e., coming together to articulate a narrative that would invite others to see what we see when we envision Mattapan.
(This wasn’t a thought experiment. We were one of ArtPlace America‘s thirteen Creative Placemaking semi-finalists that year, and quilting our patchwork of stories into a comprehensible narrative was both our ‘blessing,’ and our ‘curse’ that year.)
The work we did in 2016, however, set us up for success in 2017.
We now have two signature events that will function as markers for the Mattapan Cultural Calendar going forward: The Neponset River Arts Festival , and Mattapan Open Studios. Although we’ll be doing a lot of other things in 2018, Mattapan Cultural Arts Development (MCAD) is committed to forwarding both of these events this year.
Now our gatherings will converge more around talking less, and doing more, one question remains to those of you who want to play: what are you willing to bring to the table. Let’s begin.
artsmattapancom.wordpress.com 