The Holyoke Arts and Agriculture Project works in tandem with an MCC YouthReach project to build upon the art and gardening traditions in Puerto Rican culture. As envisioned by the project partners, including the Greater Holyoke Foundation, the Centro will be a gateway to an Arts Corridor along the canals, which in turn will be graced by art and exhibits reflecting the city's history of industry. Massachusetts has long recognized the importance of promoting a marriage between art and technology. Using MCC seed funding, Cyberarts organizers incorporated work by artists who use computer technology as an integral part of their work and successfully staged exhibitions and performances at dozens of venues across the Commonwealth last year. The interplay between artists and technology can open new markets for companies to sell their products, with artists often finding new applications for existing technologies.
Artists become a new source of creative input into technology development.
Companies also benefit by the creation of an employee recruitment and retention tool while artists receive an opportunity to educate a broader audience about the cyberart form - while gaining another market for the display and sale of their work. At its roots, CED is designed to break down barriers and build understanding about the importance of culture to our economy and our quality of life.