Amarillo officially recently was designated a cultural district by the Texas Commission on the Arts.
Amarillo was one of 35 cities receiving the cultural-district tag, according to a story in the Amarillo Globe-News. It took two years for the city to get that designation.
The Amarillo Cultural District encompasses five areas, including Historic Route 66 “with its galleries and restaurants.”
According to another story earlier this fall by the Globe-News:
The recognition will open the door for increased tourism and grant opportunities, said Beth Duke, Center City executive director. […]
Last year, the Texas Commission on the Arts awarded $1.5 million in grants to arts non-profits and local government agencies in 11 cultural art districts in the state. […]
Cultural districts are special zones that harness the power of cultural resources to stimulate economic development and community revitalization, according to the Texas Commission on the Arts website.
Cultural Districts also offer some promotional advantages. Amarillo boasts the only cultural district in the Texas Panhandle.
(Image of Sixth Street District, aka Route 66, in Amarillo by Tony Hisgett via Flickr)