Tri-County Region

Tri-County Cultural Plan

The process of developing the Cultural Plan for the Tri-County Region of Southern Aroostook, Northern Penobscot and Northern Washington Counties was beneficial for us on many levels. It brought many people together from throughout the region who have not collaborated in the past. It provided for heightened education for all of us about what is available in our region. It also gave us common goals to pursue so we can work together to make the region even more attractive to residents and visitors alike. The guidance from Reinholt Consulting throughout this process was exceptional. They were dedicated to our needs and professional in all of our encounters with them. Both Saskia and Emily bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the process and they were extremely generous with both. We are very happy with the final product of the Cultural Plan we received for our area. Much of that credit goes to Reinholt Consulting!

Tri-County Regional Creative Council

Cultural planning provides a catalyst for the creativity that lies within every community. For years it’s been argued that the value of arts and cultural assets extends beyond the intrinsic and aesthetic. Until recently, the ability to define the value brought to communities through the presence of arts and cultural assets was limited by the lack of sufficient data available to support what many knew to be true; that not only do arts and cultural assets add to our overall enjoyment and quality of life, these assets also add significantly to the economy and serve as a powerful tool for community and economic development.

Over time, those keen on cultivating the benefits brought to communities by the presence of arts and culture worked to define what many refer to as the ‘creative economy’. Communities now have access to a growing body of data to support local, regional, and statewide planning initiatives aimed at cultivating the creative economy.

Much like land use planning serves as tool for municipalities and regional planning entities to help communities guide future development based on a community’s priorities and values, cultural planning serves as a tool for communities to develop and implement strategies to support a growing creative economy.