To cultivate Greater New Bedford’s economic
and cultural enrichment by making New Bedford the prime choice
for entertainment and social engagement for the entire Southcoast
region on the First Friday of each month. We want people that
may be thinking of going go to Newport, Providence, Taunton,
or even Boston or New York on a Friday night to make New
Bedford their First Choice on the First Friday of the month.
(Scheduling for 2008 will include the non-winter First Fridays
- April to December; the program will be expanded as it continues).
First Friday wants to make this
a tradition of fun with primary emphasis on performance entertainment,
dining, dancing.. First Friday would also extend to the
visual art arena in the form of promoting (Friday night new
show openings at Gallerys as a prequel activity to the evenings
entertainment possibilities.
The First Friday organizers',
partners', and volunteers' goal is to foster and co-ordinate
interaction of concerned area public, business and cultural
resources, to sponsor and co-ordinate new performance and other
activity to ensure that the high point of their monthly weekend
events happened on the First Friday
Create new events in public space.
Wing’s Court, Custom House Square, public streets (block parties),
etc.
To promote these ends by way of
a combined branded marketing campaign, publishing a monthly
playbill of events and offering special offers, ticketing, package
discounts, etc. that individual business may contribute.
This undertaking would at first
be concentrated on downtown New Bedford but would extend to
all parts of city; First Friday New Bedford.
To that end, are the the following
goals:
- Access the events exist and
utilize these as the foundation for a published schedule of
New Bedford first Friday events (hit the ground already moving)..
- Through a selection of diverse
performance programming; create events that create (economic)
traffic to the city and provide cultural and economic enrichment
to its citizens.
- Encourage the public/private
partnering to integrate all aspects of display and/or performance
space in the public areas of new buildings, parks, plazas
and other appropriate facilities being as engaging and entertaining
as possible on First Friday to foster increased community
and economic development.
- Increase the number and diversity
of other cultural activities in the community and to publicize
them to the general public in an effective manner.
- Foster an increased awareness
of and appreciation for the work of local artists and to provide
increased opportunities for them to display or perform their
work.
- Bring in out of area performers.
