Haverhill's O+ Festival Launches Commonwealth Places Crowdfunding Campaign

March 09, 2017

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contacts:
Meggie Quackenbush, MassDevelopment, 617-330-2011 & 857-208-2777 (cell)
mquackenbush@massdevelopment.com

Jonathan Berk, Patronicity, 617-750-6008
jonathan@Patronicity.com

Hailey Moschella, O+ Festival Haverhill, 845-750-7941
hmoschella@opositivefestival.org

MassDevelopment and the O+ Festival Haverhill today announced a new campaign through the civic crowdfunding platform Patronicity and the Commonwealth Places initiative. The O+ Festival (pronounced O-Positive), a nonprofit festival that will re-envision community wellness by connecting musicians, artists and health providers on May 6 in Haverhill, will use the campaign to  finance three permanent murals in the city’s downtown. Local artists and nationally-recognized muralists will paint the murals, which will be installed during the festival. During the O+ Festival, residents and visitors will enjoy music, food, and art while learning about health and well-being resources in Haverhill.

If the campaign reaches its crowdfunding goal of $6,000 by April 12, 2017, at midnight, the project will win a matching grant with funds from MassDevelopment’s Commonwealth Places program. Learn more and donate at www.Patronicity.com/OPositive.

“The O+ Festival presents an exciting opportunity for Haverhill to cultivate a holistic approach to the health of not only residents and visitors, but also the city thanks to this bright public art and these community connections,” said MassDevelopment Vice President of Real Estate Services Amanda Maher. “We’re pleased this Commonwealth Places campaign will help invigorate Haverhill’s downtown and encourage visitors and residents alike to engage with their community.”

The O+ Festival began in Kingston, N.Y., in 2010 and has since spread to Chicago and California. This is the first year the festival will take place in Haverhill. In addition to art, music, and health resources, the festival will feature an event with Better Block Haverhill, a collaborative effort between the city and MassDevelopment’s Transformative Development Initiative that focuses on small-scale community revitalization.

“By bringing more public art to our community, Haverhill will see the effect of transforming into a destination city,” said O+ Haverhill Director Hailey Moschella. “On May 6, O+ Festival will gift Haverhill with permanent murals to liven the streets and strengthen the community.”

Commonwealth Places is a collaborative effort from MassDevelopment and Patronicity that leverages public support for placemaking projects through crowdfunding and a matching grant from MassDevelopment. The program engages residents in the development of strategic projects in their towns and cities. The program has supported successful campaigns across the Commonwealth, from Northampton to Hyannis. Communities, nonprofits and other entities can learn more about these successful projects, donate to ongoing campaigns, and apply at www.massdevelopment.com/commonwealthplaces.

MassDevelopment, the state’s finance and development agency, works with businesses, nonprofits, financial institutions, and communities to stimulate economic growth across the Commonwealth. During FY2016, MassDevelopment financed or managed 352 projects generating investment of more than $4 billion in the Massachusetts economy. These projects are projected to create about 8,200 jobs and build or rehabilitate about 4,200 residential units.