Main Street and the Cultural Economy: The collision of heritage tourism, the arts, and entrepreneurism on Main Street can spark a “Big Bang” that produces a thriving cultural economy. We can build this economy on the foods, music, people, stories, and traditions that make a place special. The fusion of innovative minds, dedicated hearts, and creative souls creates an atmosphere where authenticity is king and distinct assets can be found in our backyards. This creative economy engages entrepreneurs, culinary artists, performing and visual artists, crafters and artisans, nonprofit organizations, museums and historic sites, filmmakers, and technology startups to create new jobs, stimulate the economy, kindle innovation and new partnerships, attract talent and tourists, and contribute to livability.
Main Street: The Next Chapter: Three decades after Main Street’s beginnings as a pilot program in three Midwest towns, more than 2,000 communities across the nation have adopted its tools of preservation-based economic development, using them to breathe life into their historic downtowns and neighborhoods. And while Main Street has achieved mainstream success, we have heard from you that it needs to evolve in order to remain a leading model for community revitalization in the 21st century. Main Street is all about resilience: managing change and facing new challenges with innovation. Join us in New Orleans to continue the conversation on reaching new levels of effectiveness and expanding the Main Street movement. During the conference, you will have the opportunity to hear about plans taking shape, as well as to share your thoughts on how to make smart, effective changes to strengthen our work and message.