Staff of the Massachusetts Cultural Council came to Fall River on August 23, 2007, to discuss the potential for the arts to assist in the revitalization of the downtown. Meeting in the former Baker Books site at the Cherry & Webb building, the group learned about the resources of the Massachusetts Cultural Council and other state organizations that could leverage development of the arts in Fall River. The newly appointed Council Director, Anita Walker, who has been holding forums across the Commonwealth, met with about a dozen community leaders to gather ideas about how best to use the $12.3 million Council budget which is available to invest in local communities. Chamber of Council President Peter Kortright summarized the city's assets and suggested that the arts could help to revitalize the community. In addition to this forum, a Master Planning process was also begun this year as well as a Downtown Planning process in May, 2006.
 

(Top row, left) Massachutts Cultural Council (MCC) Executive Director Anita Walker chats with Walter "Sandy" Fraze, Jr., Chairman of the MCC Grants Committee, and State Representative Robert Correia before the forum. (Top row, center) A pedestrian walks past some of the artwork at Lawton Square funded by the Arts on Main Street project funded in part through a $50,000 grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Council. (Top row, right) Ms. Walker describes the mission of the Council and some of the potential that exists to revitalize downtown Fall River. (Middle row, left) Lisa Biebeau of Spindle City Ballet talks about the need to bring the arts into the school curriculum as Stephen Cabral and Dennis Paquette listen. (Middle row, right) Adrian Tio, Dean of the College of Visual & Performing Arts at UMass-Dartmouth, responds as Associate Vice Chancellor for Continuing Education at UMass-Dartmouth Susan Lane and local businessman David Costa listens. (Bottom row, left) Narrows Center for the Arts Director Patrick Norton describes some of the recent success of the Center in attracting a growing audience. (Bottom row, center) Alan Amaral, CEO of Yomega Corporation and Chair of the Chamber of Commerce Downtown Revitalization Committee and Dr. Stephen Cabral, curator of Portuguese-American Sounds and Visions exhibit, speak with Massachusetts Cultural Council Deputy Director Charlie McDermott. (Bottom row, left) Dean Tio chats with Ms. Walker and Mr. Norton following the event.