Boston Welcomes You

By Deborah Obalil

Boston: Birthplace of the American Revolution and host to CommonWealth, from August 26–29, 2009. We’re looking forward to welcoming NAMAC members from far and wide, and we promise to host a wicked-fun and engaging conference!

While many people know about Boston’s place in history, fewer recognize its role in current advances in media and the creative economy. Home to major universities, Boston has long been at the center of the convergence of technology, science, art, media, culture, and innovation. CommonWealth promises to showcase how Boston continues to build on its rebellious history and take the lead in areas of media innovation, collaboration, collective action, and support of creative endeavors of all kinds.

A few examples of what makes Boston a hotbed of media and arts activity:

• Recognizing that digital media is a thread that ties all the creative disciplines together, the City of Boston created an initiative—government-driven but with strong partnership from the private sector, via CreateBoston at the Boston Redevelopment Authority—to focus on nurturing a growing online and video gaming industry that employs hosts of visual and media artists.

• Plymouth Rock Studios, dubbed Hollywood East, is building a major movie studio complex and investing in workforce development.

• Plymouth Rock’s investment was made possible by the collective action of the Massachusetts Production Coalition. They undertook significant economic-impact
research on the state’s media and film industries, and proved their worth to policymakers.

• This effort has led to some of the most aggressive film tax credit legislation in the country, benefiting both small and large projects.

The conference will include opportunities for participants to explore Boston’s diverse neighborhoods, visit some of the nation’s leading youth arts programs, and tour artists’ studios in the city’s expansive artist space initiatives.

Boston is a compact city with great public transit, lots of green space, with the Boston Common as its crown jewel, and countless museums and other cultural attractions. We hope you’ll consider coming early or staying later to enjoy the many summer activities Boston and New England have to offer.

See you this August!

DEBORAH OBALIL is the local event coordinator for Commonwealth, an arts consultant, and an avid salsa dancer who will happily point all Conference attendees to the best salsa dancing venues in Boston.