NEW BEDFORD — When the idea of AHA! was conceived in 1999, leaders from various groups such as artists, businesses, churches, nonprofits, and others came together to develop a way to promote the arts and culture scene in the downtown area.
The concept was straightforward: organize monthly events that offer one-of-a-kind, interactive, and free activities throughout downtown, welcoming everyone to join in.
Little did they know AHA! would play a significant role in the city for the next 25 years to come.
"There's still a life and energy and vitality to the AHA! program. It really has become, not only important to the participants, but it's really part of the DNA of New Bedford these days, both in itself as a program and what it has birthed in terms of creative energy and the creative community," said former director of AHA! Lee Heald, who retired from the position in the summer of 2023 , after helming the organization since 2007.
"Today, New Bedford is really rebranded as a cultural hub... open and inclusive to all levels of creativity and different cultures."
At its core, AHA! has become a monthly event that celebrates art, history and architecture in the city. On the second Thursday of each month, AHA! invites people to come and enjoy free experiences related to arts and culture in the historic Seaport Cultural District of downtown New Bedford.
Celebrating 25 years on Sept. 12
On Thursday, Sept. 12, AHA@25 welcomes all ages to the streets of New Bedford to celebrate its 25 th anniversary as AHA! celebrates its history and looks to the future of AHA! New Bedford. The festivities will take place in three main activity zones in the Seaport Cultural District of New Bedford and will kick off at 4 p.m.
More: Mobile sauna and cold plunge on the move around New Bedford. Why you should check it out.
The first zone at the Whaling Museum plaza and parking lot will feature family-friendly activities, live music, and complimentary birthday cake. The second zone on Front and Centre Streets will have more live music, a stilt walker, and a scavenger hunt. The third zone on Lower Union Street will have circus arts, a community mural project, and a 90s-inspired fashion parade.
AHA! programming partners will also have additional activities throughout the downtown area. The celebration will continue with an after-party at Cork Wine & Tapas, Cultivator Shoals, Moby Dick Brewing Co., New Beige and PLAY Arcade, featuring 90s music, live bands and nostalgic candies and snacks.
The transformation of AHA! and the city of New Bedford
Heald has witnessed the transformation of New Bedford's downtown area since AHA!'s inception.
"When AHA! kind of first started, there wasn't a lot going on in New Bedford, it moved New Bedford forward, and opened up horizons for people to feel included, new people to town, new stories," she said.
Heald believes that AHA! has influenced more businesses, especially in the art scene, to open in the downtown area and pursue that audience.
“It has promoted more activity... it has allowed programs like the Mass Cultural Council's Creative Economy Project and creative placemaking to take off."
More: Descendants of Whaling Masters celebrates 50 years on Sept. 12. How to join in on the fun.
Heald also expressed her love for the people of New Bedford after working as the program’s director. She’s most excited and optimistic for the longevity of AHA! because it has welcomed a new generation of artists who will surely continue its legacy.
"You have a whole group of people who have grown up with AHA!, with the expectation that there will be arts and culture and creativity in New Bedford... It's now at a very different stage and platform than when we started."
Keeping the legacy of AHA! alive for 25 more years
In the fall of 2023, Kim Goddard stepped in as the new executive director of AHA! New Bedford.
"My mother-in-law, who lived in Dartmouth, was very involved in New Bedford. She introduced me to the city in the early 2000s while I visited on the weekends with my husband," Goddard said.
When Goddard and her husband made the move to New Bedford full-time in 2015, they quickly fell in love with the vibrant arts and culture scene. AHA! Nights quickly became one of their favorite activities.
"We would go to AHA! Nights, check out the art experiences, the live music, and grab a bite," Goddard said.
But in 2018, Goddard's relationship with AHA! took on a new form as she began working with Superflat NB, one of AHA!’s programming partners. Together, they aligned their community mural experiences with AHA! Nights, including one of Goddard's own photo murals featuring portraits of New Bedford artists.
More: Joe's Original restaurant turns 30 with throwback specials: 'It all began in Dartmouth'
Goddard also had the chance to work closely with the SouthCoast Community Foundation, AHA!'s fiscal sponsor, while serving as the head of marketing. Through this experience, she was able to gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for the impact that AHA! had on downtown New Bedford.
"AHA! New Bedford has always evolved with the community it serves, in 2020, we pivoted to become entirely virtual,” Goddard said, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
Connecting with the community to make AHA! stronger
Earlier in the year, AHA! released a community survey to keep in touch with what the public would like to see from AHA!
One example was an increased presence of food trucks at AHA! Nights, thanks to popular demand from the community. In September, Sorbae Frozen Treats and Round the Bend Farm will be joining the event, while Ground Floor Coffee has also become a regular participant.
“We’ve learned that the AHA! attendees like to wander and take in and sample experiences from all our partners, but also enjoy a concentrated area of activity,” said Goddard.
As the program continues for the next 25 years, Goddard said that AHA! is reflecting inward on how they operate.
“We are in the process of creating focused advisory committees to make sure we have a breadth of voices that reflect the makeup of the New Bedford community,” she said.
Goddard has been working closely with the team and community partners and said she feels that she is in a good place to evaluate and make changes.
One of their priorities is to continue building relationships with local businesses, cultural organizations, nonprofits and artists. They also plan to stay connected to the CVPA gallery and students, finding ways to have them exhibit downtown on AHA! Nights.
While AHA! Nights are largely dependent on the weather, Goddard said they are considering whether to have a season or continue to operate year-round.
The program currently has only two part-time employees and relies heavily on the generosity, expertise,and support of volunteers.
The key to the future success of AHA!
To ensure the sustainability of the program for the next 25 years, AHA! is looking to diversify their funding sources and strengthen their relationships with the city, state, local businesses and individuals.
Once they are on stronger financial footing, Goddard said they also want to improve their marketing efforts and attract more people to downtown on AHA! Nights.
AHA! Nights are a collaborative effort of over 60 programming partners. Goddard believes that collaboration is the key to their success.
“What I learned early on about the AHA! program is that the AHA! calendar has become embedded into the DNA of our partners,” she said. “AHA! Nights are part of their planning process and consideration when scheduling an event, reception, exhibit, activity, and the like.”
With this strong collaboration, AHA! has become a trusted name that provides safe, fun experiences for families and a great time to meet up with friends and enjoy New Bedford in a communal fashion.
“Through strategic assessments with community leaders AHA! conducted last year, and via our community survey, we heard loud and clear that everyone wants to see AHA! continue and evolve,” said Goddard.
She also adds that AHA! is making it a priority to engage the next generation and is looking into starting a youth AHA! advocacy program.
“It speaks to the key to the success of AHA! – collaboration. Collaboration with over 60 programming partners that consistently provide unique, creative, and inspiring experiences. That is the key to our success,” she said.
As AHA! looks toward the future, Goddard said they will continue to strengthen their relationships and contribute to the cultural fabric of New Bedford. With the support of the community and their partners, AHA! will surely continue to thrive for another 25 years.
Standard-Times staff writer Seth Chitwood can be reached at schitwood@s-t.com . Find out more about him at sethchitwood.com . Support local journalism by purchasing a digital or print subscription to The Standard-Times today.
This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: 'Part of the DNA of New Bedford': AHA! celebrates 25 years and looks ahead toward 25 more.
Local News
Comments / 0