Funded by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission's Community Mitigation Fund, CREATES (Culture, Recreation, Engagement, Art, Tourism, and Entertainment Strategy) is a regional project focused on the communities of Attleboro, Foxborough, Plainville, Mansfield, North Attleborough, and Wrentham.
SRPEDD, in collaboration with surrounding communities, is pursuing CREATES to celebrate, build upon, and enhance the current offerings around the main streets, downtowns, and cultural attractions in the region surrounding the Plainridge Park Casino.
The goal of CREATES is to prioritize the creative sector in the PPC area and establish a greater vision for arts and culture that fosters placemaking, economic opportunity, and community building.
To reflect the priorities and vision of the community, visit this page often to find out ways to get involved and stay up to date.
CREATES is built on the idea that numerous factors contribute to the cultural identity of a community. Through this project, each community will explore their strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities associated with each element of CREATES which includes:
To create the most responsive and representative strategy, this project considers the existing conditions in each community. Data points include demographic and industry data to inform the project on the economic impact of the arts and culture industries.
With tourism on the rise in the region, the impact of arts and culture amenities within local economies is only expected to grow. SRPEDD will commission a fiscal impact study to assess this information in detail and guide the recommendations of CREATES.
SRPEDD will use previous and ongoing planning efforts to establish context for the study. The project team will review the following documents and incorporate relevant goals and further strategy implementation where applicable.
