National Symposium on Arts/Cultural/Entertainment Districts: April 4 & 5, 2012

Baltimore, MD - April 4 & 5, 2012

The National Symposium on Arts/Cultural/Entertainment Districts (NSACED) seeks to bring together policy makers, practitioners, and artists to engage in dialogue on the economic, social and cultural impact of designated and natural arts and entertainment districts.  With numerous states and municipalities employing arts districts as a revitalization strategy, the symposium presents an opportunity to reflect on best practices for the first time. Scheduled in conjunction with the National Main Streets Conference, this two-day symposium will offer the opportunity to learn about existing policy and incentive programs, and discuss critical issues facing diverse arts and entertainment districts throughout the U.S.

Download the NSACED program.

Registration

NSACED registration fee is $50 during advance registration period and $60 day-of.  Wednesday morning tour of Station North is an additional $25 fee.

Click here to register.

Keynote Speaker

Mark J. Stern, PhD, University of Pennsylvania School of Social Policy and Practice
Mark J. Stern is Kenneth L. M. Pray Professor of Social Policy and co-director of the Urban Studies program at the University of Pennsylvania.  He holds a BA from Reed College, an MA from the University of Toronto, and a PhD in history from York University (Canada). He has authored or co-authored five books, including One Nation Divisible: What America Was and What It Is Becoming (with Michael B. Katz, Russell Sage Foundation Press, 2006).  Since 1994, Stern has been principal investigator for the Social Impact of the Arts Project (SIAP), a research program of Penn's School of Social Policy and Practice.  SIAP has focused on developing methods for measuring the ways that the arts and cultural engagement influence urban communities and applying those methods to studies of metropolitan Philadelphia. Recent reports by SIAP include "Cultivating 'Natural' Cultural Districts," "From Creative Economy to Creative Society," and "Migrants, Communities, and Culture," all co-authored with Susan Seifert.  His monograph, “Age and Arts Participation: A Case Against Demographic Destiny” was published by the National Endowment for the Arts in 2011.

Check the NSACED program for information on additional speakers.

Symposium Headquarters

Day I of the National Symposium on Arts/Cultural/Entertainment Districts will take place at the Baltimore Hilton, 401 West Pratt Street, Baltimore, MD 21201.  Day II of the Symposium will take place at the Brown Center at Maryland Institute College of Art, 1301 West Mount Royal Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21217.

Planning Your Stay

Accommodations

Hotel Brexton:  Located in Baltimore’s historic Mt. Vernon, neighborhood, 868 Park Avenue, Baltimore, Maryland 21201, within walking distance and easily accessible via public transit to both the Hilton and MICA.  Free parking is on a first-come first-serve basis; spaces can be reserved for an additional fee.  To make your reservation by phone, call 443-478-2100.

Baltimore Hilton:  Baltimore Hilton, located at: 401 West Pratt Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21201.  Accessible to MICA by light rail, bus, or charm city circulator. To make your reservation by phone, call 800-HILTONS (445-8667).

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

Baltimore is easily accessible by all modes of transportation.

Train: Amtrak has service from 500 locations in 48 states with 80 trains per day stopping at Baltimore’s Penn Station. The Baltimore Hilton is an easy trip on light rail or cab from Penn Station.  MICA is a short cab ride or walk from Penn Station.

Baltimore/Washington International Airport (BWI): Just 15 minutes from downtown, BWI has more than 700 daily domestic and international flights serving more than 75 cities nonstop.

Baltimore is within driving distance of more than one-third of the nation's population.  Click here for driving directions.

The NSACED is supported by the National Endowment for the Arts, the Maryland State Arts Council, and the Maryland Insitute College of Art.