Bellows Falls Welcome Center. VermontBiz file photo.
Vermont Business Magazine The Preservation Trust of Vermont, the Vermont Department of Housing and Community Development, and the Vermont Arts Council are hosting two powerful conferences in one remarkable village. The 2024 Downtown and Historic Preservation Conference on Wednesday, June 5 and the 2024 Creative Sector Convening on Thursday, June 6 both take place in Bellows Falls.
At the 2024 Downtown and Historic Preservation Conference participants will learn proven strategies for community revitalization. Sessions will be centered around resiliency, adaptation, inclusive spaces, and creativity.
Public investment in our historic downtowns and village centers helps to attract small businesses and private investment, improving quality of life for Vermonters and experiences for tourists. Bellows Falls is a great example of that. The village’s vibrancy is the result of preserving its historic integrity while encouraging new and creative uses for it.
The 2024 Creative Sector Convening will focus on creative entrepreneurship, community resilience, and casemaking. Creatives and community builders will learn new skills to invigorate Vermont communities through creativity.
Vermont ranks as one of the most highly creative states. According to the most recent US Bureau of Economic Analysis study, arts and culture contributed nearly $1.2 billion to the Vermont economy in 2022. Vermont’s historic downtowns are a critical component of the economy engine that drives the state’s creative sector.
Ben Doyle of the Vermont Preservation Trust, Gary Holloway of the Vermont Department of Housing and Community Development, and Susan Evans McClure of the Vermont Arts Council will be available for interviews. For more information, please see details below.
Wednesday, June 5
What: 2024 Downtown and Historic Preservation Conference
Where: Starting at Bellows Falls Opera House. Other locations include Bellows Falls Square, Frank Adams Grist Mill, 33 Bridge Street, the Rockingham Meeting House, and more.
When: 8:00 am – 7:00 pm
Who: Ben Doyle, President, Preservation Trust of Vermont and Gary Holloway, Downtown Program Manager, Vt. Department of Housing and Community Development.
Thursday, June 6
What: 2024 Creative Sector Convening
When: 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Where: Starting at Bellows Falls Opera House. Other locations include the Bellows Falls Library and Waypoint Visitor Center.
Who: Susan Evans McClure, Executive Director, Vermont Arts Council
Source: Preservation Trust of Vermont
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