Museums and Communities - Week 6: MASS MoCA Case Study

Mill Town, Factory Town, Cultural Economic Engine: North Adams in Context (Oehler et. al., 2006)

• social context is important in understanding the community effects of a cultural organization
• MASS MoCA comprises one-third of North Adams' downtown business district (in terms of land)
• article uses first person accounts to give the history of the factory and to provide personal experiences of the townspeople in the days before MASS MoCA
• the perception of North Adams has changed greatly from one century to the next as it changes from a center of industrialization to a place of "post-industrial decay"
• North Adams possessed rich architecture
• 1942: Sprague Electric "recycles" Arnold Print Works factory
• workplace was a community in its own right
• factory employed a majority of the residents of North Adams; you either worked there or knew someone that did (likely a member of your own family)
• company began to demise in late '60s-'70s, mostly due to a realignment of senior management and a 10-week strike
• closed in 1985
• 1968: North Adams government began urban renewal program
• actually brought destruction; would destroy buildings downtown without actually renewing anything
• cited as 'breaking the spirit of North Adams'
• wrecking ball became central image of town
• caused economic downturns because businesses that relocated during program did not return
• North adams began to see large amounts of poverty, a decline in the quality of education, and unemployment; became poorest community in area
• article's use of maps helps to bolster important points
• MASS MoCA's goals: bring economic expansion to North Adams and bring the best of contemporary art to the public
• mayor was behind the plan "from day three"
• connection with Guggenheim: positive and negative consequences
• now, while part of the Guggenheim, it is not branded as a Guggenheim museum
• due to poor economy, project's political backing collapsed; project needed to find private support, which it did
• town was generally very receptive to the idea and were happy that the building would finally have a use after sitting dormant for so many years, but the press tended to be against the idea
• Boston Globe: project is "preposterous, and completely devoid of artistic and economic logic"
• developed partnerships within Berkshire County and developed a plan to become more interdisciplinary
• MASS MoCA has helped to develop (directly/indirectly) new sources of local pride
• MASS MoCA runs largely on earned revenue and private donations
• called a "case study for urbanologists and politicians seeking to revive failing cities" and "a compelling, haunting overlap of adaptive reuse and neighborhood vitalization"
• according to mayor, the town now attracts new and young businesses and artists and has experienced an increase in housing values, however they say they have not really experienced problems with gentrification
• MASS MoCA has shown it can be a catalyst for ongoing community improvement

Culture and Revitalization: The Economic Effects of MASS MoCA on its Community (Sheppard et. al., 2006)

• ethnographic and anecdotal evidence suggests that the most important signs of community development impact are at the neighborhood level
• National Neighborhood Indicators Partnership (SIAP is a member)
• Americans for the Arts and Creative Economy Council also provide information on economic development through cultural and artistic activities, but not usually on the neighborhood level
• article discusses advantages and disadvantages of certain models for economic analysis
• creation of ideas and culture is an important part of today's economy
• MASS MoCA's spending is largely recirculated throughout the community; has direct, indirect, and induced effects
• MASS MoCA brings almost 100,000 visitors in town, has led to an increase of 230 jobs, benefits various sectors of the economy (even the medical profession)
• an increasing number of people spend the night in North Adams, especially compared to other local towns
• MASS MoCA's operations result in almost $2.2 million in taxes a year, which help offset the government spending initially invested in this project (high return on investment)
• after MASS MoCA opened, the community became a more desirable place to live (seen in rising housing values near museum/downtown)
• gentrification has not yet become a serious problem in North Adams; this may be due to the relative abundance of affordable housing due to the town's history of population loss
• North Adams now has more businesses with more employees
• these new jobs have not been dominated by low-wage, low skill occupations; average salery per employee has increased
• thus far, "all of the economic impacts of MASS MoCA are positive... on the local and regional economy." (22)
• positive impact is clear out to 1.7 kilometers

Downside UP (documentary on MASS MoCA and North Adams) (2003)

• the director, originally a resident of North Adams, gives a general history of North Adams and particularly the building that now houses MASS MoCA up through MASS MoCA's first year of operation
• her main point seems to be that before MASS MoCA and after the closing of Sprague Electric, the town seemed to imbue a sense of hopelessness in its residents which could follow them even after they moved out of North Adams; now she sees possibility that children in North Adams will grow up with positive memories of their town
• beach in the street project (meant to allow kids to be creative)
• not all residents really appreciate the art inside the museum; some say they'll never visit it more than once, though others claim that the more they visit it the more they become more accepting of and intrigued by the art
• museum has prompted new projects, such as the opening of various restaurants and the Porches Inn
• there were many problems in getting the museum to actually open, particularly funding, yet the museum was able to raise money and eventually get the support of the state
• residents do seem for the most part to appreciate what the museum has done for the community, even if they don't appreciate the museum itself
• there does seem to be some question of gentrification and how buildings of some importance to the community are being torn down
• one resident commented that they would rather be worrying on how to keep housing prices affordable than trying to keep any/all residents within the town

Visit to MASS MoCA/North Adams

• both tours (Sol LeWitt and general highlights) mention some history of MASS MoCA and North Adams and the MASS MoCA building
• general highlights tour specifically mentions economic impact museum has had on community (30% occupancy downtown before opening vs 90% occupancy today)
• shows general understanding of community in which museum is located
• lobby offered postcards/pamphlets about other arts organizations/cultural business downtown, cultural/tourist attractions in the area, lodging information, etc.
• parking lot had map of downtown North Adams to show visitors where certain amenities and businesses were located
• actual art/exhibitions in museum had very little to do with community; community did not seem present in the process of the exhibitions either
• did seem to employ community members in cafe/as security guards
• artist co-op was located on main drag in downtown North Adams, as well as galleries and a theater
• businesses were closed the day/time I visited, most likely because it was a Sunday
• the homes in the area in the .5 mile or so surrounding the museum did seem significantly nicer than homes further out from museum (such as those between North Adams and Adams)
• the museum did do a good job via tours and pamphlets to provide context and a general understanding of the artists/art works; the fact that this information was in pamphlets was especially helpful because it meant visitors could take the information home with them

Other readings read/skimmed:

• Pincus, Andrew L. "When can the arts revive an economy?" The Eagle.
• looks at cultural institutions that have as one of their main focuses having an economic impact on their community, as well as working towards community development
• these institutions are not "magic bullets"
• strategy is more likely to work in areas that are already somewhat built around cultural tourism, as the Berkshires are
• Oehler, Kay, et. al. Shifting Sands in Changing Communities: The Neighborhoods, Social Services, and Cultural Organizations of North Adams, Massachusetts." C3D. 2006.
• gives overview of the communities of North Adams and the changes they've undergone in the past 20-40 years.
• "cultural organizations can be part of a collaborative process for rebuilding human capital and social stability in the community"
• due to growth of cultural organizations, many residents have a more positive outlook about the community which leads to more positive social structures within the community being formed
• argues that just the promise of MASS MoCA was enough to have an effect on these outlooks
• MASS MoCA is working to strengthen the community via educational outreach programs and curriculum development for schools
• residents are now more likely to graduate high school and to pursue higher education since MASS MoCA's opening
• almost 20% of museum expenditure goes toward educational services
• MASS MoCA promoted growth of "creative cluster" in North Adams
• attracted people to community, but was not what kept them in town
• cultural institutions like MASS MoCA "can effectively use public space to achieve community goals"
• host town meetings
• Berkshire county residents can visit the museum free of charge by making use of passes available at public libraries
• "MASS MoCA has become the symbol of economic hope in North Adams"
• Oehler, Kay, et. al. Network Analysis and the Social Impact of Cultural Arts Organiztions. C3D.
• uses mapping technique to trace linkages of individuals or groups with various groups and institutions within the community
• shows that MASS MoCA has a rather central relationship with other institutions that are part of its community networks; brings linkages from being between 3 organizations to being between 7
• MASS MoCA is heavily linked to the most central organizations in the community
• MASS MoCA is positioned to be a coalition builder because it's linked to many organizations in the community and it links them to each other
• has ties between various sectors (educational, leisure, public, professional, and cultural)
• strong ties to social services sector as well
• "with a map of its primary network, a cultural arts organization could demonstrate its collaborative potential in grant proposals"
• map could also be part of strategic planning within organization
• Kifner, John. "Museum Brings Town Back to Life." May 30, 2000. The New York Times.
• claims North Adams is now in renaissance 
• 2/3 of shops are occupied, compared with 3/10 in mid-80s
• $5 million project to renovate homes for Porches Inn
• in first year, MASS MoCA had 105,000 visitors to galleries, 25,000 more to performing arts events; rented commercial space to 8 tenants
• web companies are among the museum's main tenants
• MASS MoCA's success in some way hinges on phenomena of post-modern art, particularly the large size of works
• conception of MASS MoCA had long been considered a pipe dream

Comments/Questions

• while founded primarily for the benefit of the community, MASS MoCA doesn't seem to have many other attributes of a community museum; focus still seems largely on the collection/exhibits/performances
• despite this, the effect on the community in terms of economic and social development does seem great
• more money in economy, more jobs, more businesses downtown, higher housing values
• residents are more hopeful and have a renewed sense of local pride
• the research methods used to prove the effects MASS MoCA has had on North Adams seem very effective in proving both the economic and social impacts
• while many papers mention a specific paper on MASS MoCA's social impact, I have not yet been able to find this paper... where is it?  has it actually been published?
• social impacts currently are seen in terms of coalition building, but some articles suggest other social impacts, such as reduced crime
• Is this because measuring social impacts is in fact the hardest thing to do?  Are they undertaking a more longitudinal study?
• the downtown does seem to be doing much better than in the pictures/descriptions before MASS MoCA opened
• MASS MoCA can act as a template for cultural institutions in other towns, but it's important to remember that not all towns are suited to this particular set up
• Can every town benefit from the investment in some type of cultural institution?  Or must the town already have certain attributes (like a tourism built into the general region)
• Is it an anomaly that MASS MoCA hasn't caused gentrification?
• Can MASS MoCA and North Adams sustain this attraction of new media business and keep them in the town?

Further Reading:
http://www.downsideupthemovie.org/FinalReport.pdf
Vigdor, Jacob. "Does Gentrification Harm the Poor?" Brookings-Wharton Papers on Urban Affairs, 2002, p. 133-182.
"Not a pretty picture; City hopes museum proposal can spark dismal economy." The Boston Globe. March 2, 1992.
Zukin, Sharon. 1995. The Cultures of Cities. Cambridge, MA: Blackwell Publishers, pp 79-107.
Zukin, Sharon. 1997. "Cultural strategies of economic development and the hegemony of vision," pp 223-243 in The Urbanization of Injustice, ed. Andy Merrifield and Erik Swyngedouw.  New York University Press.
Mooney, Brian C. "A 'joke' becomes a showpiece." Aug. 18, 1999. The Boston Globe.
Reardon, Mike. "Art meets industry." Apr. 15, 2000. The Patriot Ledger (Quincy, MA)
Filler, Martin. "The museum game." Apr. 17, 2000.  The New Yorker.
"Berkshire Renaissance." Jul. 18, 1999. The Boston Globe.
Seaman, Bruce A. "Arts impact studies: A fashionable excess," pp. 43-75 in Economic Impact of the Arts: A Sourcebook.  Washington, DC: National Conference of State Legislatures.
"Web gives old towns new life." Dec. 27, 1999.  Providence Journal-Bulletin (Rhode Island).