A grant from the Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism (MOTT) will allow the Arts Foundation of Cape Cod (AFCC) to partner with the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce and the Town of Barnstable to attract visitors to the region using arts and culture as the catalyst.
The $71,250 grant will be used to fund a digital marketing campaign titled, “Capture Cape Cod through the Arts!” that will be focused on visitors in drive markets throughout New England and Mid Atlantic states. The Town of Barnstable and the Cape Cod Chamber will be contributing $10,000 each towards the campaign, which will highlight cultural itineraries in various sections of the Cape, from Falmouth to Provincetown.
“This funding is critical to shining a bright light on the beauty, power, and depth that arts and culture have on our region,” said AFCC Executive Director Julie Wake. “After a year that has devastated the arts sector, we want to showcase our cultural offerings to travelers visiting the Cape over the next five months. In doing so, we have an opportunity to not only provide exposure, but an essential boost to our artists and arts organizations that desperately need all the help they can get. We are so grateful to the state and to MOTT for prioritizing the arts and making this funding possible.”
The grant comes as the Cape prepares for what is expected to be a banner summer season, business leaders and tourism officials say, following last year’s business closures and other restrictions due to the worldwide pandemic.
“We are thrilled to work with the Arts Foundation of Cape Cod to bring much-needed customers and audiences to our arts and culture entities, which suffered immense loss during the pandemic,” said Cape Cod Chamber CEO Wendy Northcross. “Supporting the very people and institutions that bring us joy and underpin our social fabric is a critical role for the chamber and the AFCC to play. We are grateful to the state and to MOTT in providing the financial resources that will enable us to offer this support.”
Barnstable Town Manager Mark Ells echoed those sentiments, highlighting his town’s steadfast support of the arts.
“Our town is a leader in efforts to integrate arts and culture into the fabric of our community. A strong arts community contributes to the local economy and creates a year-round vibrant backdrop,” Ells said. “Over the years, the Town of Barnstable has collaborated with the Arts Foundation of Cape Cod on a variety of projects and programs designed to foster creatives and engage and enrich resident and visitor experiences. With this project, we are pleased the AFCC can continue its role as an active voice dedicated to supporting, promoting, and celebrating the arts and culture of Cape Cod.”
The AFCC was one of 59 organizations, chambers of commerce and municipalities that received over $1.58 million through the newly created Travel and Tourism Recovery (TTR) Grant Pilot Program.
Funds from the TTR Grant Pilot Program are dedicated to marketing projects that support the My Local MA campaign, enhance tourism recovery, and have the potential to increase non-resident visitation. The program’s goal is to strengthen the Massachusetts economy through the development and enhancement of the state’s tourism industry.
