This fall, Pittsburg officially established an arts district. Some residents have probably not heard about this. One reason for that may be that people often pay more attention to bad news than good news, and there is no downside to speak of in designating such a district. As Deputy City Manager Jay Byers pointed out shortly before the city commission approved creating the Pittsburg Arts District in late October, establishing the district cost local taxpayers nothing, and didn’t commit the city to any specific future obligations. “There’s no legal action here, you’re just declaring a particular geographic area an arts district,” Byers said — adding, however, that establishing an arts district could have tangible benefits for the city. “There is potentially some grant funds available if you have a defined arts district, and there’s also an impact on the artists themselves,” he said. “It attracts more artists to an area that’s been defined as an arts district.”
Source: Morning Sun
