AmericanStyle, a quarterly publication with a readership of 125,000, focuses on art, crafts, travel, and interior design. Every year, cities compete to be included in the publication’s Top 25 Arts Destinations edition.
Leading the community campaign to get Gloucester on the ballot was Kristine Fisher, board-elect member of the Society for the Encouragement of the Arts (seARTS).
Based in Gloucester, seARTS is a coalition of artists and organizations whose mission includes promoting Cape Ann as an arts and cultural center.
Members of seARTS and their community partners, including the Good Morning Gloucester blog; the Rockport Art Association, the Cape Ann Art Haven, and the Cape Ann Museum, pursued the nomination and rallied locals and the readership of AmericanStyle magazine to vote.
To get the nomination, Fisher and members of seARTS compiled a list of well-known arts and cultural hubs. The lengthy list included museums, art associations, theaters, and individual artisans. Then, Fisher gathered more than 100 brochures, sorted them according to attributes, and sent the package to AmericanStyle Magazine.
“We captured a holistic visual snapshot of our richly diverse and active arts community,’’ said Fisher. “We also sent a detailed letter that championed why we should be nominated.’’
Two days later, Fisher received an e-mail from the magazine with notification that Gloucester was nominated in the small-city category.
“Dozens of people and businesses throughout Cape Ann helped us get nominated; it was an amazing community effort,’’ said Fisher. “We were thrilled to get the nomination and although the magazine specifically lists Gloucester as the number three arts destination, the nomination highlighted all of Cape Ann’s arts attractions.’’
Cape Ann comprises Gloucester, Essex, Rockport, and Manchester-by-the-Sea. Gloucester has one of America’s oldest continuously working art colonies, Rocky Neck Art Colony, which has 95 artist members, including 34 whose studios or galleries are open to the public.
