The Massachusetts Cultural Council voted downtown Natick into the state cultural district program yesterday, which aims to increase tourism to thriving towns. 

Natick is one of 10 Massachusetts towns home to a cultural district. The downtown area will now be promoted on the Office of Travel and Tourism and Massachusetts Cultural Council websites.

The cultural district will include the Morse Institute Library, Natick Common, and Center for Arts in Natick (TCAN).

"This is a driver for organizations to work together to create branding to attract more people," David Lavalley, Executive Director of The Center for the Arts in Natick, (TCAN) said. 

Lavalley said an array of entertainment venues coupled with dining and a common area in downtown Natick are notable traits worthy of the "cultural district" distinction. 

"Natick really is a gem. I hear this from 20,000 people a year who come to TCAN. I think people are really impressed by the common area, it’s a great, rare thing," Lavalley said.