ArtsWestCT has finalized results of the first phase of a project identifying “Cultural Assets’ in the city. The project was announced earlier this year, and “maps” the assets as they are found geographically throughout the city. The mapping project was undertaken this year with funding from the Community Foundation of Greater New Haven.
To collect data, the group used a model that has been used successfully in communities across the country, including Austin, Chicago, and Hamden. It is called the Cultural Assets Mapping Project Kit, or CAMP Kit for short.
Elinor Slomba, advisor to ArtsWestCT, said the project was begun to ask several questions about the cultural layout of West Haven.
“What we really want to get at are the answers to questions like: Who are the important culture keepers in your neighborhood? Where are the creative organizations? Who has made an impact in your life through theater, performance, and art? And What are the cultural programs, memories, and places you think are important to share? There’s still time to put yourself on the map, so to speak, and we hope many people will take advantage of the opportunity,” she said.
One hundred seventy-one cultural assets are listed on the West Haven map to date. Approximately 19% so far fall into the category of visual and graphic arts, 16% more are in crafts, 14% in music, 10% literary arts, 13% culinary arts, 7% fashion/textiles, 7% theater arts, 6% dance, 5% architecture, and 3% technology, gaming and web design. Three-quarters of the total also represent some form of culture, tradition and heritage.
The project is ongoing and will be part of future projects by the group.
“The input form will remain active for another month, and all West Haven residents are encouraged to add more items before the final, interactive map goes live. At that time, all the locations and websites will be shown, with color-coding according to the type of asset,” according to the group’s Facebook page.
“Before the end of the year, the map will be presented to the West Haven Centennial Committee as a snapshot of arts and culture in West Haven in 2021. It will be used, also, for placement on the city’s website, and made accessible on the West Haven page of the VisitCT website, ArtsWestCT’s social media, and other places.
“The results will help fuel further cultural planning efforts,” the page related.