Worcester braces for potential cultural revival
Worcester drew a heavy dose of national attention last month when President Obama delivered the commencement address at Worcester Technical High School.
But how large does Worcester loom as a destination for outsiders on the other 364 days of the year? People involved in the city's cultural scene think it's gaining momentum as a lower-cost and closer alternative to Boston and Providence.
Lisa Condit, director of sales and marketing at The Hanover Theatre, said that every year, the number of people traveling to Worcester to see shows climbs. That includes residents of Northern Connecticut, MetroWest, Middlesex County, and Rhode Island.
“Statistically, we are definitely drawing from all over,” Condit said.
Condit understands the challenges of making people aware of the city's cultural assets. A Bay State native with relatives in Shrewsbury, Condit said she experienced a disconnect herself.
“It really wasn't until I started working in the city (that) I really understood how much of those truly world-class offerings are here,” said Condit, who joined The Hanover in 2007 before it reopened as a live entertainment venue.
There's a lot to like about a night out, or a day out, in Worcester, according to Condit. Parking is cheap and traffic relatively light. But, she said, the challenge is bringing people in for the first time. Yet, at least in terms of attracting theater-goers, Condit believes Worcester is heading in the right direction. Demographic data collected by the theater highlight an important trend: People living in the MetroWest area, and who have good access to Boston, are beginning to visit Worcester more frequently for theater-based events. And total visits, year over year, are on the rise.
“Like anything else, it's changing a habit,” Condit said.
Christina Andreoli, vice president of the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce and executive director of Destination Worcester, agrees.
Still, there’s work to be done
“For us locals … we think it's great and it's fun, and we have plenty to do, but we have some work to do in terms of promoting and marketing ourselves regionally,” Andreoli said.
Andreoli said promoting meeting and event space, as Destination Worcester does, is an important strategy in changing perceptions, which may reflect the city as it was 10 to 15 years ago. When organizers tour the city now, they find it offers entertainment and dining options that didn't exist several years back.
The Hanover Theatre may be a microcosm of the city at large. Others entrenched in the cultural scene also reported growing enthusiasm for Worcester attractions. In fact, it's something Adam Rozan, director of audience engagement at the Worcester Art Museum, picked up on before he arrived here in February 2013.
Rozan, formerly of San Francisco, said working at the museum was appealing because it is renowned among art museums, but Worcester itself was also generating buzz. Like The Hanover, Rozan said more visitors are frequenting the museum; the addition of the former Higgins Armory Museum collection of armor has broadened that appeal.
Rozan said Worcester has it all: higher education, cultural events and destinations, public art and fine dining. He thinks Obama's visit boosted the city.
“When you add it all up together, it seems like a really convincing thing,” Rozan said.
Amy Peterson, director of marketing at the DCU Center, said the community has stepped up cultural scene promotion in the last two years. Agencies such as Destination Worcester and the chamber, are joining forces for the cause, she said.
And major projects, such as the creation of a downtown theater district and plans to develop housing nearby, are creating brighter foot-traffic prospects for the DCU Center and other Worcester locales, according to Peterson. Meanwhile, officials working to develop CitySquare at the site of the former Galleria Mall downtown have hailed plans to build a four-star Renaissance by Marriott hotel as an important win.
“We're excited to see what happens in the next six to nine months,” she said.
Troy Siebels, executive director of The Hanover Theatre, is actively involved in efforts to create a theater district, which The Hanover would anchor. Like Peterson, Siebels said collaboration has been key to advance culture in Worcester.
Organizers are currently working on plans to develop a smaller theatre, which Siebels calls “Worcester's off-Broadway,” along with an art gallery, and parking garage. A satellite campus of Quinsigamond Community College, which faces the theater, is expected to open later this year.
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