Celebrating community revitalization and the impact of the creative sector in Bellow Falls

For Immediate Release
June 7, 2024

Celebrating community revitalization and the impact of the creative sector in Bellow Falls

Bellows Falls, Vt. – More than 500 people gathered in Bellows Falls for back-to-back conferences celebrating efforts to revitalize Vermont communities. About 300 people attended the 2024 Vermont Downtown and Historic Preservation Conference on June 5 and 200 went to the 2024 Creative Sector Convening on June 6. Both events were made possible by a partnership between the Vermont Department of Housing and Community Development, Preservation Trust of Vermont, and Vermont Arts Council.

The biannual Vermont Downtown and Historic Preservation Conference kicked off at the Bellows Falls Opera House with remarks from members of the Abenaki Tribe, Preservation Trust of Vermont Executive Director Ben Doyle, and State Treasurer Mike Pieciak. Congresswoman Balint shared some thoughts via a video. 

Eight exemplary preservation efforts were awarded Preservation Awards by the Preservation Trust of Vermont: The Putnam Block in Bennington; the Woolson Block in Springfield; Dinny Hawksworth in Enosburg; the Corner School Resource Center in Granville; the Old North End Community Center in Burlington; the Broad Brook Community Center in Guilford; the Fairbanks Museum & Planetarium in St. Johnsbury; and the Community of Calais.  Katie Trautz of Montpelier Alive received the 2024 Downtown Leadership Award from Gary Holloway of the Vermont Department of Housing and Community Development for her efforts to help Montpelier recover from July’s flooding.

Immediately following was a keynote panel moderated by Susan Evans McClure, Executive Director of the Vermont Arts Council. The five panelists were all from the Bellows Falls area and talked about how, as Evans McClure put it, “the revitalization of Bellows Falls was a twenty year overnight success story.” 

Back in the 1980s, downtown Bellows Falls had a 70% vacancy rate. Today it is booming. The panelists credit preserving the village’s beautiful buildings with new uses in mind for the revival. They also highlighted the importance of collaboration, community involvement, volunteerism, and working with the state to take advantage of existing programs and grants. 

Guests spent the rest of the day attending more than 20 sessions. Topics varied from the history of Bellows Falls, brownfield redevelopment, Missing Middle housing solutions, and the resilience of the creative community.
Even lunch was educational. Everyone was supplied with a brown bag lunch and was encouraged to go on one of five different tours to learn more about Bellows Falls. Four of the tours were on foot, one was by rail.

The conference concluded with a ribbon cutting at the Robertson Paper Mill and a reception at the Waypoint Visitor Center. 

The Creative Sector Convening on June 6 also started at the Bellows Falls Opera House. The event focused on creative entrepreneurship, community resilience, and casemaking and welcomed arts and culture organizations, community organizations, businesses, and others working in Vermont’s vibrant creative sector. 

Plenary attendees were welcomed to Bellows Falls by the Abenaki and discussed the artwork of the Vermont Abenaki Artists Association, now on display at the Bellows Falls Garage building. The Vermont Arts Council, New England Foundation for the Arts, and staff from Sen. Peter Welch’s office shared updates on state, regional, and national efforts to support the creative sector. The Opera House audience was on their feet during a performance by Shidaa Projects, a Vermont West African dance and drum troupe. Circus artist Rob Crites helped attendees experience the creative sector in action, tying together the day with performances and interactive experiences.

From there, attendees had eight sessions to choose from on several topics including marketing, accessibility, creative placemaking for community resilience, and building inclusive creative communities.

The Vermont Downtown and Historic Preservation Conference and the Creative Sector Convening would not be possible without the generous support of sponsors. The Creative Sector Convening wants to thank Windham & Windsor Housing Trust, Guilford Sound, Farnum Insulators, James Plumbing & Heating, Whitaker Properties Inc., and The Rockingham Arts and Museum Project (RAMP) for their contributions. More than 20 sponsors made the Vermont Downtown and Historic Preservation Conference possible including major sponsors the Vermont Creative Network, The National Park Service, Evernorth, VHFA, and The Vermont Community Foundation.