An Artist's View: The Soul of the Newburyport Shanties Seems Lost

For the past two years, I participated in the Newburyport Arts and Culture Shanties, a truly special initiative. Originally led by the Firehouse Center for the Arts, this program offered local artisans like myself a highly visible platform. Located in the magical courtyard across from the Black Cow Restaurant, near the waterfront, it was more than shops; it was a hub of creativity, conversation, and connection, all set within an enchanting atmosphere. During my time there, I met many fantastic artists, customers, and members of the public, fostering connections and friendships that will last a lifetime. Crucially, this valuable experience allowed me to market test my retail print business in a physical space, affirming my commitment to opening my own full-time retail/studio location – a goal I am now actively pursuing.

This article is prompted by the Newburyport Chamber of Commerce's takeover in ownership last fall and recent announcement, here in mid-May, that submissions are finally open for their new "Commerce Cottages" program. Submissions for a seasonal program like this should have been open months ago, giving artists the necessary time to plan their market season. This late announcement follows a period where dozens of artists reached out to me asking what was going on – a clear indication of uncertainty under the new ownership since the Chamber took over. I have waited to tell the experience I had under the Chamber's ownership, but I feel the time to speak out has now come. These recent developments, coupled with my personal experience over the past holiday season, have left me unhappy and concerned about the future of this program under the Chamber's direction. Frankly, based on their mismanagement when they took over the shanties last year, resulting in my worst holiday season ever, I do not trust the Chamber to do right by the artists, though I hope that I am mistaken. As a result, I will not be participating in this year’s program and hope this article serves as a warning to those who may wish to be a part of it, as I do not want the same thing to happen to them that happened to me last holiday season.

One iteration of the Newburyport Arts and Culture Shanties at its former location next to the Black Cow Restaurant, close to the waterfront.

As a photographer deeply connected to capturing the essence of this region, being part of the shanties program in that specific location was invaluable. The shell courtyard was simply amazing. During the day, red umbrellas provided shade and drew attention, inviting people to relax and browse art. At night, string lights created a warm, inviting ambiance with tables for gathering. More than just retail, it was a destination fostering a vibrant community feel and genuine engagement with art, essential to Newburyport's charm.

With five distinct shanties nestled within this charming setting, the program, as run by the Firehouse Center for the Arts, offered opportunities for a diverse group of artists, contributing significantly to the cultural richness of downtown Newburyport. The shanties themselves were a testament to this artistic community spirit – painted by myself and other participating artisans in colors intentionally representing historical Newburyport homes from back in the day. The original intent was clear: to provide dedicated, affordable space specifically for Newburyport area artisans and artists. It felt like a grassroots effort that genuinely prioritized putting artists directly in front of the public in an environment that was as welcoming as it was visually appealing. I will include an image below capturing the spirit of those original shanties in that wonderful courtyard.

Newburyport Arts and Culture Shanties at its former location next to the Black Cow Restaurant, close to the waterfront.

However, like many fellow artists who benefited from and loved the program, I have watched recent developments with growing concern and, frankly, unhappiness. The news that the Newburyport Chamber of Commerce has taken over the ownership of the shanty program appears to have resulted in changes that fundamentally alter its character and diminish its original purpose. Their introduction of "Something new and exciting", transforming a different "beautiful green courtyard" on Pleasant Street, feels like a fundamental change, not a continuation. As they state, it is a "completely new program, built from the ground up by the Chamber—not a continuation of the former shanty initiative". And on this, the Chamber is absolutely right – it is a completely new program. But I strongly disagree with the decision to make it so. They should have left the original program intact, in its former, finally successful location, kept its focus exclusively for artisans, and avoided commercializing it to the point where any type of business can apply. I will also include an image below demonstrating how the now 3 "cottages", which is down from 5, are set up currently.

Newburyport Chamber of Commerce, “Commerce Cottages” at their new location. Total number was 5 under the old program, it has been cut to 3.

The Chamber claimed they "stepped up, kept the program open—we worked with City Council... took it under our insurance, and offered free access to the remaining shanty renters to keep it alive for the rest of the year". While permits were obtained, it was I and numerous other concerned artists who went before the city to advocate for the extension of the permit through the holiday season. If it wasn’t for us, I believe the program would have been shut down for the holiday season. Furthermore, once the permit was reissued, the Chamber's engagement was non existent leaving the remaining artists feeling that the program was abandoned for the rest of the year. In my view, the offer of "free access" wasn't a gesture of support, but rather a consequence of their complete abandonment and lack of effort in providing any support. This abandonment manifested in several ways, including failing to book all shanties, disrupting the setup for essential shopping days (Black Friday, Newburyport Invitation Nights), significant delays in fixing essential lighting, a lack of holiday decoration, failing to include Santa’s Workshop in the shanty courtyard and critically, no advertising to the public, especially when they advertised Santa’s Workshop but made no mention of the shanties whatsoever, even though it was placed right next to them. Specifically, the significant delays in fixing the string lights prevented us from staying open after dark and the dinner hour, costing us crucial foot traffic during a key shopping time. Adding insult to injury, they moved all the shanties very close together without consulting artists, causing overlap on the shanty doors (see image below) – an essential place for us to hang our work – simply to set up a huge tent (see image below) for an event (great fundraiser) that lasted only a few hours. This tent was completely sealed off from the shanties, providing absolutely no foot traffic to us during their event. My personal experience with this mismanagement led to a devastatingly poor holiday season, reinforcing my lack of faith in the Chamber's capacity or willingness to truly support the artist community.

Chamber’s movement of the shanties caused doors to overlap, taking up valuable space for artists to hang their work. Which also resulted in artists work being damaged.

The huge tent that was placed in the courtyard for a few hour event. This tent prompted the Chamber to move the Shanties on the most important shopping day of the year, Black Friday. This disrupted the shanties immensely.

The most immediate and impactful changes for this year are the physical ones. The program has been reduced from five shanties to just three. I’ve been told that the two missing shanties are being used for storage in other parts of the city. This immediately translates to fewer opportunities for local artists to participate and share their work. More disheartening is the relocation from the dynamic and highly successful shell courtyard location. The Chamber offered the explanation that "as we learned more about the city’s plans for Phase III of the Waterfront Park project, it became clear that the cottages would eventually need a new home. Rather than wait and risk losing this kind of opportunity for local creators altogether, we got to work on something better and more sustainable". While acknowledging future city plans, this reasoning for an immediate move feels premature and unnecessary. Phase III is years away, and there was no reason to move the shanties when the old courtyard remains empty anyway. Indeed, once the shanties were removed, the shell courtyard was left vacant with chairs and umbrellas thrown all over the ground near the always closed visitors center. This unsightly state lasted for about two weeks before it was finally tidied up. The Chamber and City should have worked together to protect the artistic treasure the shanties represented, not displace them when the original location was left in such a state. Moving from that established, vibrant space, with its inherent charm, established foot traffic, and magical atmosphere, feels like a significant step backward. It sacrifices hard-won visibility and ambiance that was cultivated, and I question if the urgency cited truly necessitated such a dramatic immediate shift away from a proven, successful location.

Once setup around the courtyard amongst the shanties, red umbrellas and chairs were just thrown carelessly near the always closed visitors center.

Beyond the physical, the very spirit and original intent of the program seems to have been lost in this "rebrand" to "Commerce Cottages." The Chamber claims it's "more inclusive than ever before," open to "nonprofits, students, small businesses, church groups, makers, and entrepreneurs of all types," not just artisans. But the program should remain for artisans. Newburyport desperately needs more dedicated spaces to showcase and support art within the community, and the old program was perfect. Opening it to all businesses dilutes its original mission of supporting specific artistic talent.

The Chamber lists other supposed benefits: "Rent is more affordable than previous years", "Vending is available 7 days a week", it's "centrally located on Pleasant Street", and it's "built for long-term impact and accessibility". From my experience, these are problematic for most artisans. The claim of being "more affordable" is blatantly false, especially considering the lack of options and the lost value of the old location. The old program allowed artists to rent a shanty for $60 a weekend (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday), providing flexibility and affordability crucial for many. Now, it appears the only renting option is $500 a month. This new rate is more than twice the cost, if an artist wanted to rent a whole month under the old program. There appears to be no such crucial weekend flexibility offered in their current application found on the Chamber's website, making the program significantly less accessible and affordable for many independent artists who cannot commit to or afford a full month or 7-day-a-week presence due to other shows, work, or the nature of their craft. The "centrally located" claim ignores the unique benefits of the shell courtyard's proven foot traffic. The lack of accessibility and poor conditions at the new site – a fenced-in, small dirt/grass patch that will turn to mud with limited space – directly contradict claims of accessibility and positive long-term impact for the arts community. There are even numerous exposed large tree roots at both entrances, which, combined with the inevitable mud after rainfall, makes this new location feel unsafe and unwelcoming. The difference between the vibrant shell courtyard we cultivated and the stark current state of the new location is clear. The Chamber referred to this new location as a "beautiful green courtyard" in their announcement – I'll let you be the judge if this looks like a beautiful green courtyard. Despite having all winter and spring to prepare and beautify this new site, the Chamber did not, leaving it as a less-than-ideal space. Furthermore, there is not enough room in this new location for artists to feel comfortable setting up or for visitors to browse easily, especially compared to the spacious and welcoming shell courtyard. This physical limitation significantly undermines any claim of enhanced accessibility or positive long-term impact for the arts community.

Side view from the parking lot of the new location for the Newburyport Chamber of Commerce, “Commerce Cottages”. Ground is filled with dirt and large roots from trees.

In conclusion, while organizational changes are sometimes necessary, I sincerely hope the Newburyport Chamber of Commerce can acknowledge the shortcomings of this transition and turn the program around. It is crucial they respect the artists with whom this city has such a long and valuable history, understanding the unique needs of the creative community. My two years among the shanties and conversations with fellow artists underscored the critical need for a dependable space for artists to truly flourish. The reason I wrote this article isn't simply to air grievances, but because I genuinely want to see the arts community succeed and thrive in this city. If anyone has ideas on how we can better achieve that goal or build truly supportive initiatives for artists in Newburyport, please feel free to get in touch.

If anyone would like to view the announcement and application for themself, (click) HERE to go to the Chamber’s website for their new “Commerce Cottages”.

Keith Viglione - Owner/Photographer - 617 Images