This feature originally ran in The Standard-Times on March 19, 2006.

By Nick Tavares
Standard-Times staff writer

The visual arts have taken a firm hold on New Bedford and, in turn, all of SouthCoast in the past decade. What was once an area in need of a unique cultural identity is now one that has tapped into the considerable talents of several artists and the creativity of the youth.

"The arts have provided a voice to the city," said Irene Buck, Executive Director of ArtWorks!, an art gallery in downtown New Bedford. "We know now that it's a valid part of the community, one that helps people communicate better, be more open-minded and aware of their own creativity."

ArtWorks! has been one of the leaders in the boom, giving artists space to create and display their work while giving children the opportunity to tap into their own creative juices.

But the arts and its booming culture were not always an asset that was readily available to the area. In fact, it wasn't until 1996 that the New Bedford Art Museum opened its doors in a former bank building on Pleasant Street. With ArtWorks!, Gallery X, a cutting-edge gallery giving time to the visual and performing arts in an effort to bridge cultural gaps, and the UMass Dartmouth College of Visual and Performing Arts at the renovated Star Store on Purchase Street, the city has developed a four-headed visual and aural assault.

Caleb Fiero, a UMass Dartmouth graduate who now works at ArtWorks!, has planted roots in the city because of the growing scene.

"I'm still here because the arts are booming," the Seekonk native, 23, said. "I'm just really impressed by everything I see. For example, what's right behind you."

He was referring to 3rd EyE Unlimited's "My City, My Voice," gallery display that was featured at ArtWorks! in January, and specifically, a graffiti-style mural that dominated the room.

"They have pursued art through hip hop, breakdancing and youth orientation," he said. "It's expression through 'putting out the word,' as they say.

"It's all viable, awesome art forms that need to be heard and should be heard."
But in a city where school budget concerns are becoming increasingly common, the arts are beginning to be thrown to the wayside in favor of math, science and English — otherwise, subjects that can be measured and ranked by MCAS tests.

"It has been proven through many studies that there is a direct correlation through the arts to improved academic performance," Ms. Buck said. "Kids learn discipline and communication through art, and that helps them excel in other subjects. Our educational system has forgotten that."

Indeed, in New Bedford recently, art was reduced to being taught once every three weeks. And, according to a 2002 story by USA Today, the direct affect on art expanding intellect and social skills is considerable. As reported by USA Today, the Arts Education Partnership, a national coalition dedicated to the arts, analyzed 62 studies on various types of art, including music, drama and visual arts. The study concluded that different art forms directly influenced different skills; for example, the visual arts affected writing, reading, interpretation of text and reasoning.

As Ms. Buck wrote in a statement to the New Bedford School Committee, "The arts are also a great equalizer in terms of economic and social differences. Art, music, theater and dance have a way of leveling the playing field, allowing individuals to participate and grow their own voice as part of an effective group."

And while art is sometimes ignored, the impact the galleries have had on the area has been immeasurable.

"The change that the presence of art has made in the community is just beginning to happen," Ms. Buck said.

More and more artists' lofts and buildings are opening in the area. And as the artists move in and lead a rebirth, there is also the fear that eventually expenses will rise and the artists will be forced out of the area they helped recharge.

"It almost needs to happen, it's part of balance," Mr. Fiero said. "The artists need to go in first and create excitement. Then, like in Boston and Providence, others see what's happening, and the artists move on.

"We don't necessarily like it, but we do understand it, because so much awesome stuff comes from it - even from loss."

Despite budget woes and the price of living, though, most artists feel confident about their place in society.

"No matter what you tear down, something will always come up in its place," he said. "The arts will never be stopped, because humans are naturally creative.

"No one will ever stop the arts."

Contact Nick Tavares at ntavares@s-t.com

Date of Publication: March 19, 2006