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Hello!
I am writing to introduce myself as a new staff member of the Somerville Arts Council. If you have read our most recent newsletter then you may have seen me mentioned. My official title is Arts Development Manager, however my role will be covering many different responsibilities. I am a city planner who has a focus in arts and cultural related planning work. Before joining the City of Somerville I was working at a planning consulting firm on a wide range of projects, but with an emphasis on cultural planning for various communities across Massachusetts as well as other communities nationally. Some of the arts and cultural projects I have worked on include the Viva Fall River Cultural Economy Plan; the Allston Brighton Arts, Culture, and Placekeeping Report; and the North Hempstead Cultural Plan. In addition to being a professional urban planner, I am also an interdisciplinary designer with an interest in how arts and culture shape our public realm and communities. I am excited to be working with the City of Somerville on art space issues, with the goal to preserve and make new space for art in our community. I will be managing the Arts and Creative Enterprise (ACE) Set-Asides put in place by the Somerville Zoning Ordinance (SZO), tracking existing art space across the city, understanding displacement risks and mitigation efforts, and facilitating the integration of the Arts Council and the Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development (OSPCD) in arts and culture related planning issues.
If you have any questions about art space within the city or any of the programs the City offers please reach out to me. My direct contact information can be found at the bottom of this email. If you are also wanting to stay up-to-date with art space news and projects please consider subscribing to a newsletter that will be launching soon (sign-up link below); this newsletter will provide updates on Art Space in Somerville, new ACE spaces, and City initiatives.
I look forward to working with you all.
—Michael Rosenberg
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