photos courtesy City of Georgetown Department of Downtown and Tourism
In 2013, the Georgetown Art Center opened alongside myriad arts and culture attractions. The city’s Arts and Culture Board saw an opportunity to leverage this development and applied for our community to become a cultural district, with the goal of driving economic growth in the downtown area. The designation also enables Georgetown to be eligible for additional grant funding from the Texas Commission on the Arts. Now one of 52 cultural districts across the state, Georgetown continues to make its mark on the Texas arts and culture scene with a rich mix of arts offerings, from public art that tells stories and honors history to art galleries, educational programs, and festivals.
CULTURAL DISTRICT JOURNEY
The Arts and Culture Board sent the Texas Commission on the Arts a letter of intent describing Georgetown’s plans for the district and how its arts offerings will play a pivotal role in driving economic development. “These districts can become focal points for generating business, attracting tourists, stimulating cultural development, and fostering civic pride,” Georgetown Arts and Culture Program Manager Amanda Still says.
The most successful cultural districts, TCA Executive Director Gary Gibbs says, have a rich mix of arts offerings within walking distance — galleries, theaters, etc. — along with retail shops, restaurants, and lodging. “Georgetown has these assets located within the charming downtown Square, which continues to attract visitors and members of the community.”
Amanda agrees that Georgetown checks all the boxes when it comes to the TCA’s criteria for a successful cultural district, including a unique social and historical identity, arts institutions and events that serve as cornerstones of the community, and robust backing from the community.
FLOURISHING ARTS AND CULTURE HUB
The TCA provided critical support and guidance to the Georgetown Arts and Culture Board in bringing their program vision to life. They presented the city a framework and offered valuable resources during the planning process. Since being designated as a cultural district the city has received $118,000 in grants, which has funded infrastructure projects to provide space for arts and culture programming and events.
Thanks to TCA funding, the space between the Grace Heritage Center and Sweet Lemon Kitchen has been transformed into a gathering place known as the South Main Arts District for public art, arts and culture programs, art strolls, and the new South Main Arts Festival. Today, the district has evolved into a thriving community hub, drawing surrounding businesses and residents alike.
The Arts and Culture Board’s goal for Georgetown’s arts and culture scene is three-fold:
- strengthen relationships with arts organizations and businesses,
- increase economic opportunities for the arts in the community and attract more arts-based businesses to the Cultural District, and
- add spaces for arts education and performing arts facilities.
“I frequently get requests from visual artists regarding community space for meetings, workshops, and art classes, as well as from performing artists and musicians for a large performance space,” she says. “Our community facilities are currently at capacity for these types of arts activities, and the Arts and Culture Board loves to add new spaces to our Georgetown arts and culture scene.”
Georgetown Cultural District
The Georgetown Cultural District covers the 40-block area of the downtown around the Courthouse Square, with arts and cultural attractions like the Art Center, Palace Theatre, Williamson Museum, Georgetown Public Library, Grace Heritage Center, Shotgun House Museum, downtown art galleries, and shops featuring handcrafted items. Check out other arts and culture elements in the district such as the Victorian-era architecture around the Square and outdoor public art.
“Georgetown is such a great destination for arts and culture events, especially festivals, because we have so many great options for different experiences.
From the Square to Garey Park to the beautiful San Gabriel Park, we can accommodate almost any event. And with smaller venues coming online in the near future, we’ll have even more options.”
Mayor Josh Schroeder
Painting Georgetown
From honoring military heroes and preserving history to welcoming newcomers and showcasing our signature flower, Georgetown’s murals are part of the Arts and Culture Board’s vision of building a vibrant arts community. “Murals are a way to tell an important story and honor history and culture,” Amanda says. Another reason is simply that “people love murals, and that’s what they want to see! Once we established a permitting process for murals, businesses and property owners jumped at the opportunity to invest in a mural for their building.”
Some of the most popular murals around town include “Greetings from Georgetown, Texas” at Gus’s Drug and “Preserving History” on the back of City Hall and adjacent to the African American Shotgun House. One recent mural is featured on the side of the county’s tax office building in celebration of Georgetown and Williamson County’s 175th birthday in March.