On June 12th, members joined Mickey Northcutt, founder and CEO of the North Shore Community Development Coalition, Inc. (NSCDC) for a walking tour of the “Point” neighborhood of Salem, highlighting the placemaking efforts of the Punto Art Museum hosted by the Housing & Community Development Committee.
 
NSCDC organized and developed the Punto Urban Art Museum as a natural extension of their social justice and community development mission and to further their goal of breaking down invisible socio-economic barriers. The open air museum contains 75 Large scale murals featuring 40 world-renowned and 25 local artists. The program also offers educational tours on social justice, equity and segregated neighborhoods. 

After an introduction to Mickey and the NSCDC and a visual presentation to frame the project, we were able to visit the amazing murals and gathering spaces that have been created or enhanced through the Museum's mission. If you wonder how it's possible to get 75 murals into a few city blocks, you have to make the trip up to see this! We learned that there will be a cultural celebration this fall (before the Halloween festivities take over downtown.)

Programming supporting the murals project included interviews and portraits of the diverse members of this largely immigrant neighborhood, comparing and contrasting the stories of the French Canadian Immigrant "grandparent" generation and the current Dominican boom. A temporary installation called IM|Migration may seek out a permanent home, go on the road, or find a book deal! 

Following the tour, members continued the conversation over ramen and cocktails at Kokeshi, and planned future visits to the North Shore.

 
Learn more about the NSCDC and Punto Urban Art Museum: 
www.northshorecdc.org
www.puntourbanartmuseum.org


If you'd like to support the North Shore Community Development Coalition, Inc. please consider a donation to their campaign to revitalize Congress Street: https://www.patronicity.com/project/congress_street_corridor_revitalization#!/
Donations up to $40,000 will be met by a matching grant from MassDevelopment.
 
Thank you to Kimberly L. Martin-Epstein, Esq. of Hackett Feinberg P.C. for coordinating the details.