Beyond Funding: Dream It, Create It Builds a Creative Coalition for Fitchburg's Future

There's a peculiar alchemy that happens when you gather dreamers in a room. Standing in City Hall's North Meeting Room last night, watching our Dream It, Create It grant recipients mingle with civic leaders, arts advocates, and community champions, I felt that transformation taking hold—that invisible thread of connection strengthening with each conversation, each shared vision, each moment of recognition.

As I moved through the crowd, what struck me wasn't just the enthusiasm for individual projects—though that energy was undeniable—but the constellation of relationships forming before my eyes. In one corner, Merrick Henry discussing accessibility practices with city officials. Across the room, Dina Vazquez and Leona Whetzel discovering unexpected parallels between Gallery Marquee and the Juneteenth Celebration. These weren't just polite networking exchanges; these were the foundations of a creative ecosystem taking root.

The Faces Behind the Visions

When we designed this year's reception, we deliberately shifted focus. Where previous years emphasized the mechanics of grant distribution, we wanted to spotlight the human element—the passionate individuals whose creativity and commitment drive Fitchburg forward. Each of our nine recipients brings not just a project proposal but a deeply personal investment in our community's future.

Take Miada Abdalla, whose youth-led Roots & Benches initiative emerged from her experiences navigating Fitchburg as a young person. Or Peter Capodagli, whose Fitchburg Rides project connects our cycling heritage with contemporary community needs. These aren't abstract arts programming—they're intimate expressions of how these individuals see, understand, and love this city.

The photos captured throughout the evening tell this story better than words can—faces lit with possibility, hands gesturing animatedly as ideas unfold, the unmistakable lean-in that happens when someone hears a concept that resonates deeply with their own work. There's a kind of magic in these moments of recognition, when creative spirits find their kindred.

A New Chapter in Fitchburg's Creative Story

What makes this third year of Dream It, Create It particularly significant is its timing. Fitchburg stands at a pivotal moment, with revitalization efforts gaining momentum across multiple sectors. The creative economy isn't just part of this renaissance—in many ways, it's the catalyst.

The presence of Fitchburg Creative City Partnership leaders alongside city officials signaled more than ceremonial support. It represented a profound acknowledgment that arts-based economic development isn't peripheral to Fitchburg's future—it's central to our identity and growth. When these institutional leaders showed up, they weren't just attending another function; they were affirming the essential role of creativity in community transformation.

I found myself particularly moved watching the interactions between established institutional representatives and our emerging creative leaders. There was none of the stiffness that can characterize these cross-sector exchanges—instead, I witnessed genuine curiosity, generous offers of support, and authentic excitement about collaboration. Doors were opening, barriers dissolving, possibilities multiplying.

Beyond Projects: Building a Movement

What I hope our grant recipients took from the evening goes beyond the celebration of their individual funding awards. The true value lies in understanding they're now part of something larger—a growing movement of creative changemakers reshaping Fitchburg from the ground up.

The $50,000 distributed across these nine projects represents more than financial support. It's a vote of confidence in a vision of Fitchburg where creative expression isn't confined to galleries or performance venues but woven into the fabric of everyday life—from traffic signal boxes transformed into public art to inclusive festivals that make space for all community members.

I was particularly struck by how many conversations I overheard about potential collaborations—grant recipients discovering ways their projects might intersect, amplify each other, or solve shared challenges. These organic connections are exactly what we hoped would emerge from bringing these visionaries together in one room, with the space and time to discover their common cause.

The Road Ahead

As these projects unfold throughout the coming year, our community will witness the tangible results of this investment—murals brightening previously overlooked spaces, festivals bringing diverse residents together, performances animating historic venues. But I'd argue the less visible impacts might ultimately prove more transformative: the partnerships formed, the barriers broken down, the precedents established for how creative work can be valued and supported.

To our grant recipients: remember that while the funding is important, the community connections you're forming may ultimately prove even more valuable. Don't hesitate to reach out—to city officials, to fellow creatives, to neighborhood leaders. The challenges you'll inevitably face in implementation will be easier to navigate with this network of support. Share what works and what doesn't. Your collective learning strengthens our creative ecosystem.

And to the broader Fitchburg community: watch for these projects. Participate. Celebrate. But also recognize them as invitations to imagine what more might be possible when we center creativity in our approach to community development.

A Note of Gratitude

None of this would be possible without the vision and commitment of MassDevelopment/TDI and the Barr Foundation. Their investment in Fitchburg's creative future has catalyzed not just specific projects but a fundamental shift in how we understand community development. They saw potential where others might have seen challenges, recognized assets where others focused on deficits.

As I looked around the room last night at the diverse faces, animated conversations, and palpable sense of possibility, I couldn't help but think: this is what transformation looks like in its earliest stages. Not grand ribbon-cuttings or dramatic before-and-after reveals, but people connecting across differences, finding common purpose, and committing to the patient work of community-building through creative practice.

The name of our grant program captures it perfectly: Dream It, Create It. Our recipients have dared to dream bold visions for Fitchburg's future. Now, together, we create.