Standards & Criteria

In order to establish a Cultural District:

  • The municipality must be in Connecticut.
  • The Cultural District must have defined boundaries.
  • The Cultural District must be walkable and accessible.
  • The Cultural District must have cultural facilities and assets.
  • The Cultural District should have public infrastructure and amenities.
  • The municipality must hold at least one community input meeting in order for people to learn about the proposed Cultural District and goals.
  • The municipality must vote to approve Cultural District by passing a resolution following the community input meeting/s.
  • The municipality must form a Cultural District Commission.
  • The Cultural District must meet the requirements of Cultural District definition (see above definition).

For Cultural Districts that span more than one town/city, both municipalities must have a supporting resolution. For municipalities that have more than one cultural district, one resolution is sufficient.

An inventory of cultural assets must be identified and included on a map. This defines and locates the district’s cultural assets. Many municipalities have access to Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping system and tools. Google maps and other asset mapping software may be utilized. Your Designated Regional Service Organization (DRSO) may be able to help identify and develop a list of assets.

The map should show the boundaries of the proposed Cultural District and where the district is located in the municipality (color maps are best). Include a key to the assets and define a scale of distance. Show the location of cultural assets, both for profit and nonprofit. The map should include the following:

  • Cultural facilities
  • Artistic spaces
  • Creative businesses
  • Historic sites
  • Locations of cultural activities (indoor and outdoor, such as festivals, etc.) If applicable, list the events and activities that take place at each location.

Municipalities may mark cultural assets that are located outside the proposed district on the map.