Dubbed "Create Boston," the initiative, developed by the Boston Redevelopment Authority in conjunction with Mayor Thomas Menino, will allow entrepreneurs in the music, drama, arts and crafts, media and movie businesses tap into city resources that offer assistance with site selection and permitting, low-interest loans, workforce development and business advocacy.
"It's the right time to bring everyone together and highlight the creative industries and help them grow and give them assistance," Menino said in announcing the initiative.
That assistance includes low-cost loans of up to $2 million that could be made available to several businesses over the next 18 months. Although many creative businesses can tap into low-interest loans through the Boston Local Development Corp., the city hopes a special loan program will better serve the area's creative talent.
The city recently hired a full-time program coordinator to head the initiative and has created an advisory council of industry representatives to help city officials better understand the needs of the creative community. The initiative is modeled after other economic development programs launched in the past three years by the city to help small businesses and the technology and life sciences sectors.
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