Could Norfolk—with its summer music festival, rich historical resources and natural beauty—become a state-designated cultural district? That’s what an informal group of Norfolk residents gathered to discuss at the Hub on Sept. 26 with a group of experts and potential advisors, including state Rep. Maria Horn (D). Roughly 40 people attended, and all seemed generally interested in further exploration of the program.

A cultural district is a geographically bounded area recognized by the State of Connecticut as central to a given area’s community and economic development. The status does not currently carry any funding, but it does provide access to state promotional efforts, encourages collaboration among local organizations, and is expected to boost economic development. As a legislator, Horn is playing a role in trying tie funding to the cultural district designation.

Cheryl Heller and Jennifer Almquist, both members of the Economic Development Commission, were among the organizers, along with Tom Fahsbender, former chair of the Planning & Zoning Commission, and Rachel Roth, owner of the Manor House. “I can’t wait to see where this goes,” said Almquist in an email, noting that she recently joined the board of the Northwest Connecticut Arts Council. The organizers hope to hold another meeting soon to explore next steps.

The invited speakers all represented agencies that would play a role in establishing a Norfolk cultural district, with the arts council active in helping assemble Norfolk’s application, the Northwest Hills Council of Governments providing technical assistance and programmatic linkages in relation to downtown development, and the Office of the Arts ultimately signing off on the designation. Steph Burr, the arts council’s executive director, showed a video she made about the arts and culture in Northwest Corner and outlined process for towns interested in receiving a cultural district designation.

There are currently 14 cultural districts in Connecticut. Torrington has had a designated
cultural district since 2022. Earlier this year, Farmington and Unionville achieved the designation and just last month, the historic center of New Milford became a designated cultural district. Information about the program and the potential economic benefits can be found on the www.ct.gov website; search cultural districts.

“The purpose of [the] meeting is to inspire curiosity and collaboration around our collective ability to shape Norfolk’s cultural future, connecting our arts, conservation, and business communities in meaningful new ways,’ said Roth. “The scope, governance structure, and next steps will all be community decisions. We’re simply here to facilitate conversation and connection.”

– Reporting by Stephen Melville and Avice Meehan