Membership Services

Statement of Fenway Alliance Benefits and Products

Established in 1977, The Fenway Alliance is a consortium of 21 prestigious academic, cultural and arts organizations in the Fenway neighborhood of Boston. The Fenway Alliance helps create a greatly improved environment for members, students, tourists, and residents. We maintain close working relationships with City and State government agencies to achieve our aims. The Fenway Alliance is supported primarily through annual membership dues with one-third of our revenue made up by grant funding and our Corporate Partners Program.

Although many organizations, both public and private, are involved in the development of the Avenue of the Arts and the Fenway Cultural District, The Fenway Alliance is the only entity whose primary mandate is to oversee planning and development of every aspect of The Fenway Cultural District. It is The Fenway Alliance that consistently works for its members in creating and maintaining the streetscape and infrastructure of the area, building public awareness and support for the Fenway Cultural District and its members, along with coordinating and creating cultural programming for our community.

Although The Fenway Alliance is a small organization having just two full-time employees and working with numerous committees, employing project-specific consultants and interns, it successfully accomplishes its broad-ranging mission through activities in each of these six areas:

Development and branding of the Fenway Cultural District
Major infrastructure and streetscape improvements
Development of the area as a major cultural district
Community relations and community programming
Linkages and networking among 22 members
Environmental improvements
Marketing, promotions and media relations

Benefits of Membership in the Alliance

To receive the Fenway Alliance Membership Benefits Package, please email Executive Director, Kelly Brilliant (kbrilliant@fenwayculture.org).

1. Major Infrastructure and Streetscape Improvements:

⪢ Huntington Ave/Avenue of the Arts

The Fenway Alliance has been the major advocate, proponent and general overseer of the reconstruction and beautification of Huntington Avenue and has successfully leveraged 20 million dollars in Federal, State and City funds. Completed in 2010, this 12-year project creates a beautiful boulevard effect on Huntington Avenue with widened sidewalks, acorn streetlights, improved T-stops, and the addition of 612 trees lining the Avenue—cared for by The Fenway Alliance. The Alliance was instrumental in supporting the requests for additional funds for track work and station improvements.

⪢ Massachusetts Ave/The Avenue of Music

The Fenway Alliance working with the City of Boston, Alliance members Berklee College of Music, the Mary Baker Eddy Library, and the Boston Symphony Orchestra would like to create similar improvements to Massachusetts Avenue, and has completed signage on Mass Ave that identify this unique area as “The Avenue of Music”.

Specific Benefits to Fenway Alliance Members:

Better traffic flow to and from the area.
Safer and more attractive roadway and T-stations for visitors, tourists, employees and students. Much improved aesthetic appeal to visitors and prospective students and their parents.
Opportunity to reap the benefits of major infrastructure improvements without having to become the “watchdog” or overseer of City projects or the sole advocate for important but costly improvements.

2. Development and Designation of the Area as a Major Cultural District and Destination, designated by the Massachusetts Cultural Council in 2012

One of the largest initiatives of The Fenway Alliance is the establishment of The Fenway Cultural District by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and with it the development of this area as a major visitor destination, established on March 20, 2012 by the Massachusetts Cultural Council at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum.

⪢ Avenue of the Arts and The Fenway Cultural District Initiative

In 1998, The Fenway Alliance was successful in its lobbying efforts to have Huntington Avenue designated by Mayor Thomas Menino as “The Avenue of the Arts,” with this area designated as one of the prime cultural districts in Boston. We then worked with the Mayor, the City Council, and the Massachusetts Cultural Council to have the area designated as a Cultural District by the Commonwealth (Mar. 20, 2012). Through this broad scale initiative, ongoing is work to create enhancements to the area including aesthetically vibrant directional signage for pedestrians and motorists, new programming, public art demarcating the District, and more.

⪢ Wall USA Pedestrian Map Kiosks and Bus Shelters

The Fenway Alliance petitioned Wall USA early in its process with the City of Boston to ensure that all Fenway Alliance institutions appeared on its large pedestrian maps in this area. We were the only outside organization that met with Wall and the BPDA and successfully advocated for inclusion of Alliance members on its 6 maps in this area. We also successfully refused any alcohol advertising on the maps and bus shelters in our area.

⪢ Artistic Signage and Way finding System

The Fenway Alliance is working closely with the Department of Public Works to develop a comprehensive artistically designed signage and way finding system for this area. When completed, we will be the only area in the City with comprehensive, artistic signage.

⪢ Fenway Cultural District Map Brochure

The Alliance is developing a map brochure of the area with self-guided walking tours. All 21 Fenway Alliance institutions are identified on the map and described in the map text. These brochures (the first of their kind) will be placed in all institutions, hotels, visitor’s centers, community organizations, etc.

⪢ Opening Our Doors Day: The Fenway District Celebrates Community

The Alliance will be hosting its 20th Anniversary day of free activities, performances, and exhibitions on October 9, 2021. Opening Our Doors—The Fenway Alliance’s gift to the community--has become a highly successful event. Annually12,000+ community residents and visitors come out to experience the day. See more about Opening Our Doors festival here.

⪢ FACES/Fenway Alliance Celebrates Exceptional Spirit Promotional Video

The Fenway Alliance’s annual gala celebrates a person of “Exceptional Spirit” in the Fenway. Past recipients include Former Boston Mayor Marty Walsh and Northeastern University President Joseph A. Aoun.

Specific Benefits to Alliance Members

Shines a positive spotlight on the members both in the eyes of the community and the press
Creates a more vibrant and safe neighborhood
Advantageous “selling point” to prospective students and parents
Provides a venue for cultural experiences to visitors to the area and students and their parents
The Fenway is now an extremely desirable location
Enhances the reputation of each member as a civic leader
Numerous promotional and media opportunities for members

3. Community Relations and Community Programming

The Fenway Alliance realizes The Fenway Cultural District is only as strong as its community. Without community support, institutions are gravely hindered in even the best-intentioned efforts. Therefore, the Alliance works diligently to foster positive collaborative relations with the community and develops specific collaborative programming that not only benefits youth and families in this area, but also raises the profile of each of our member institutions and the belief among residents that we are all “good neighbors.” The Exec. Director sits on numerous citizen committees. The Fenway Alliance creates committee with representatives from our membership with participation from local community organizations as well to create collaborative programming such as the annual Opening Our Doors festival.

Specific Benefits to Alliance Members

Enhances member and community relations
Increases safety in the community, decreases town/gown tensions and builds trust
Creates media and promotional opportunities
Fosters the perception of members as a civic leaders and good neighbors

4. Linking the 21 Institutions and Enhancing Peer Relations

The Fenway Alliance is responsible for keeping all of our members apprised of what is going on among each other’s institutions. Where appropriate, we share Master Plans and future development ideas, as well as new programmatic initiatives. The Alliance also provides a unique opportunity for the leaders of the 21 institutions to come together in a friendly, noncompetitive setting. The Fenway Alliance hosts a formal quarterly board meeting and provides numerous informal opportunities to network with one another, and form partnerships and collaborations in areas of mutual interest.

Specific Benefits to Alliance Members:

Provides members with ease of access to the leaders of the other leaders of some of the most renowned cultural institutions in the country.
Keeps members apprised of developments and Master Plans of other institutions in the area.
Helps position members as major “cultural and academic players” in Boston and beyond.
Provides opportunities for collaborations between individual members and other members.

5. Environmental Improvements

⪢ Restoration of the Muddy River Section of Olmsted’s Emerald Necklace

The Fenway Alliance has been a major proponent of the restoration of the Muddy River. This 90 million dollar project is designed to eliminate flooding of the institutions near the Muddy River and restore the surrounding environment to its original historic intent. Most recently, the Fenway Alliance was specifically asked by City and State official to initiate a letter writing campaign by all its members to ensure Federal funding for this project. The Exec. Director attends monthly meetings of (1) the Muddy River Citizens Advisory Committee, (2) the ENC technical advisory group and (3) the Maintenance and Management Oversight Committee for the entire project. She reviews and edits all EIR documents, and writes letters of support for funding of the project on behalf of all Alliance members to relevant City, State and Federal officials.

Specific Benefits to Alliance Members:

Eliminates dangers and expense of damages of Muddy River flooding
Creates a beautiful and safer parkland for residents, visitors and students to enjoy
A promotional highlight for prospective tourists, visitors, students and their parents
Through its participation in this endeavor, members are perceived as part of a highly successful and politically powerful collective and a true civic leader in restoring one of our country’s greatest park systems

6. Marketing, Promotions and Media Relations

⪢ www.fenwayculture.org

The Fenway Alliance actively seeks opportunities to market and promote its institutions and The Fenway Cultural District. The Fenway Alliance website receives over 15,000 visitors per month. The site has a rolling calendar of events in the District and we routinely highlight membership on the front page.

⪢ Media Relations

We seek publicity through all major and local media outlets. The Alliance has been featured in feature stories in Boston Magazine and The Boston Globe Calendar.

⪢ E-Newsletter

The Fenway Alliance sends out a monthly E-newsletter to over 3k of its institutional and corporate partners. We promote our membership’s events, programs, and announcements. View the archive of past Community Benefits newsletters here.

Specific Benefits to Alliance Members:

Draws positive attention to members from a source outside their institutions
Provides an easy way for members to promote their events, exhibits, courses and degree programs, and an opportunity to attract a wider range of people to the member institution.