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>> WELL, WE TOLD YOU FIRST ABOUT
HARFORD COUNTY'S PLAN TO MAKE
BEL AIR INTO A MUCH MORE
DESIRABLE PLACE TO BE FOR ANYONE
WHO'S INTERESTED IN THE ARTS AND
ENTERTAINMENT.
TONIGHT THAT PLAN HAS COME INTO
ITS OWN.
ABC 2 NEWS'S TIM RUTHERFORD HAS
MORE.
>> A STIMULATING CULTURAL ARTS
COMMUNITY IS ESSENTIAL TO
A VIBRANT CITY'S GROWTH.
THE TOWN OF BEL AIR IN HARFORD
COUNTY HAS TAKEN THAT MESSAGE TO
HEAR AND TODAY THE STATE OF
MARYLAND OFFICIALLY DESIGNATED
BEL AIR AS THE STATE'S 19TH ARTS
AND ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT.
>> IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'VE
BEEN TRYING TO GET FOR A LONG
TIME.
THE PROCESS BY WHICH YOU GET
ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT
DESIGNATION IS NOT AN EASY ONE,
AND IN THESE TIMES WITH REDUCED
FUNDS THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT OF
MONEY AVAILABLE FOR IT, SO WE'RE
VERY HAPPY TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO
ACHIEVE THIS.
>> THE A&E PROGRAM WAS CREATED
IN 2001 TO DESIGNATE AREAS
THROUGHOUT THE STATE THAT WOULD
USE ARTS AND CULTURAL RESOURCES
TO REVITALIZE COMMUNITIES.
>> TO ALLOW US TO ATTRACT
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, ARTIST AND
ART-RELATED DEVELOPMENT TO
THE TOWN.
>> THE HOPE HERE IS THAT THESE
ART DISTRICTS STIMULATE BUSINESS
ACTIVITIES ON NIGHTS AND
WEEKENDS, ADDING TO THE TAX BASE
AND PROVIDING EDUCATIONAL
OPPORTUNITIES.
>> --KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT
OF CULTURE HERE AND A LOT OF
HISTORY HERE, SO I THINK IT
WOULD BE REALLY BENEFICIAL TO
THE COUNTY AND TO BEL AIR.
>> THE PROGRAM ALSO GIVES TAX
BREAKS DIRECTLY TO ARTISTS
THEMSELVES.
>> THE BENEFIT IS REALLY TO THE
ARTIST WHO LIVES AND WORKS IN
THE DESIGNATED ARTS AND
ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT.
>> PHOTOGRAPHER DANIELLE
ARCILESI LIKES THAT IDEA.
>> THAT WOULD BE GREAT
[laughing] ESPECIALLY FOR ME.
I WOULD LOVE FOR THEM TO, YOU
KNOW, TO BE ABLE TO BRING THAT
TO BEL AIR.
THAT--I THINK THAT'S VERY
IMPORTANT.
>> BEL AIR'S HISTORY IS WRITTEN
ALL OVER THE TOWN'S FAĆADE.
NOW, HOPEFULLY, LONGTIME
RESIDENTS AND NEW ARRIVALS ALIKE
CAN LOOK FORWARD TO
A REVITALIZED CULTURAL ARTS
COMMUNITY.
IN BEL AIR, TIM RUTHERFORD, ABC
2 NEWS.