The town of Aquinnah has been named a finalist for a highly selective arts funding program that could further bolster the new Aquinnah Circle Cultural District.

If you were looking to take the pulse of the Island arts community this week, the Harbor View Hotel was the place to be.

A large group of Island arts leaders and planners convened there Tuesday to listen to a presentation by Lyz Crane, director of partnerships and special projects at ArtPlace America.

The Creative Economy Speaker Series opens Tuesday, Oct. 1, with Lyz Crane of ArtPlace, which is a collaboration of national and regional foundations and agencies, including the National Endowment for the Arts. ArtPlace recently selected Vineyard Haven as one of America’s top small town ArtPlaces.