Do you enjoy concerts in the Highlands or Newton Centre on a hot summer night, or a lovely Sunday afternoon listening to the New Philharmonic Orchestra at the First Baptist Church?  Or maybe your kids look forward to the Halloween Window Painting Contest every October? Or how about the unexpected whimsy of seeing poetry on the sidewalks of your local village center or a fantastical outdoor sculpture along the Upper Falls Greenway?    Well, the City of Newton “Community Design for Arts & Culture Committee”  was formed a few months ago to assist Mayor Ruthanne Fuller and the City of Newton with a seven-month planning process to create a comprehensive arts & cultural plan for the City.    Will you help us?  We would love to hear from you in this Newton Community Arts & Culture Survey.  

This community survey will help us develop our strategic plan of short & long term goals for the city.  The plan, entitled Create Newton,  will identify all of our arts and cultural assets – from our buildings and non-profits, to the events and festivals we host, to the local traditions and initiatives in our villages and neighborhoods. It will explore how arts and cultural goals and interests are aligned with our businesses, recreational opportunities, and commercial districts, and identify goals, set out recommendations, and seek opportunities to collaborate with our creative communities – for profit & non profit organizations as well as other stakeholders that have an interest in a thriving, vibrant arts & culture scene in the City of Newton. 

The survey is the first part in our public engagement process and should take you 10-12 minutes.  It is best taken on your computer and not on your smart phone or smaller device.  If you would like to be more involved with arts & culture planning please add your email address here www.newtonma.gov/artsculture and be included in future updates, focus groups, etc. 

Thank you so much for your time !  We look forward to hearing from you and on behalf of our committee we greatly appreciate it.