City continues to expand the arts throughout downtown

Georgetown saw several advancements in its arts and culture presence downtown in 2013, including the opening of the Georgetown Art Center and receiving a cultural district designation.

Operated by Georgetown Art Works volunteers, the Georgetown Art Center opened in October.

Library Services Director Eric Lashley said he hopes to have the art center operate as the citys visitors center for the arts with information on local galleries, concerts and plays.

The city is looking for people to visit and enjoy Georgetown, he said. [They want to get people] downtown and venturing outside the Square.

In September, Georgetown was awarded a cultural district designation by the Texas Commission on the Arts.

Having the designation is a step toward marketing the city as an art destination, Lashley said. The district, which covers the 40-block area of downtown, is one of 24 designated cultural districts in Texas, according to the TCA website.

Lashley said he has been studying how other cities have promoted their cultural district designations and said Georgetown could create a map of its cultural assets in 2014 to be distributed at the visitors center and art center.