In 2015, the Massachusetts Cultural Council approved the establishment of a cultural district in Beverly – named the Beverly Arts District. The report leading up to this designation can be found below under Previous Plans. Since launching the Beverly Arts District in 2015, downtown Cabot Street has continued to grow as a hub of creative activity in Beverly and achieved many of the goals in its original plan. In 2018, the three partners in the Beverly Arts District - Beverly Main Streets, Montserrat College of Art, and the City of Beverly - came together to identify the next steps for the Cultural District and arts and culture throughout in the City. Technical support was provided by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council's Arts and Culture Division.
The Beverly Arts District 2.0 Plan recognizes that along with consistent support and coordination among partners and cultural enterprises, identifying a sustained funding stream, which may come from multiple sources, will be necessary to build successfully on recent progress. This progress includes promotion of the Beverly Arts District and cultural enterprises throughout Beverly as well as growth among creative activities, public art, placemaking efforts, and a growing value placed on arts and culture throughout the City. The first year of implementation will focus on identifying a successful administrative structure and partner roles, prioritizing core activities to administer and carry out the plan, identifying funding streams, and determining how to best utilize those funds to support actions.