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What is a Cultural Destination?
A cultural destination is a business or commercial corridor infused with the vibrancy of ethnic art, music, food, literature, dance to create a unique experience for the customer. Usually this destination emerges as a result of a partnership with a community development corporation, ethnic creative arts organizations and artists, cultural institutions, foundations and local government. The purpose of these cultural destinations is to help create economic wealth through leveraging the power of cultural assets within business enterprises where the business owner is now also a cultural entrepreneur. A cultural destination in a business space complements and is enhanced by the presence of other cultural institutions nearby, such as ethnic museums, ethnic art galleries and community organizations. Together they create a cultural district.
Cultural Destinations - Models
See What Awaits
Cultural Node
Agelgil Ethiopian Restaurant
A Cultural Node could be a building like this restaurant, infused with ethnic cultural assets - music, food, traditions, art and murals. AEDS helped this entrepreneur convert an ethnic restaurant to an art gallery and community space.
Cultural Corridor
American Indian Cultural Corridor
Transforming a commercial corridor into a cultural destination - A section of a commercial corridor can be transformed into a cultural destination with businesses infused with cultural assets, cultural events, colorful street banners, and culturally themed facades on buildings. The picture illustrates the American Indian Cultural Corridor in Minneapolis.
Cultural District
Rondo
A cultural district connects cultural nodes and cultural corridors around a common cultural theme. Rondo - An African American Cultural District is an emerging cultural district where many culturally themed businesses and cultural institutions are being linked together by community partners in the area who are working together to make the cultural district alive.