12/4/20 - POLICY & ACTION UPDATE WEBINAR
On December 4, 2020, we held our final Policy and Action Update webinar for 2020. What a long year it has been! We shared updates on the FY21 State budget as well as ways you can continue to effectively advocate for the arts and culture community. In this post you will find two important action alerts to State lawmakers.
Policy Updates
MASSCreative continues to monitor and report on state and federal policy that supports equitable communities and a stronger, more inclusive creative sector.
Learn more in MASSCreative's Policy Update, including:
FY21 Budget Update
Rollback of Reopening to Phase III, Step 2
Top Actions
Share your support for the FY21 Budget with Governor Baker!
The legislature recently passed their final version of the FY21 Budget. It includes $18.2M for arts, culture and creativity in MA as well as a much needed relief extension for nonprofits. Governor Baker has less than 10 days to sign or veto the budget. We need to act quickly and urge Governor Baker to support the budget.
Advocate for up to $31M for Relief to the Creative Community
The legislature has until the end of this month to pass the remaining bills before the session ends and the bills expire. One bill in particular, the economic development bond bill, is currently in Conference Committee where the House and Senate versions are being negotiated. We are proud that thanks to advocacy earlier this summer there is a combined $31M in authorized spending for relief grants to the creative community. We need to urge lawmakers to retain the full amount in their final version.
Spotlight: Connecting During COVID-19
As we look to 2021 we know our advocacy for relief and recovery for the creative community will continue to be our top priority. Storytelling is a powerful advocacy tool we can all use in our shared work together.
To focus our storytelling advocacy, MASSCreative is pleased to launch “Art, Culture, and Creativity: Connecting During COVID-19.” a story campaign highlighting the many ways in which artists, creative workers and cultural organizations are working to keep people connected during the pandemic.
We need YOUR help to make this campaign successful. Share how your creative practice or organization is continuing to support communities throughout the Commonwealth during the pandemic. Fill out this form today.
What We’ve Accomplished So Far
Since March, we have proudly partnered with hundreds of arts and cultural advocates working to ensure not only our communities survival but imagine a more inclusive sector.
Here are just a few of the ways we’ve worked together in partnership:
Hundreds of advocates joined us for our bi-weekly Policy and Action Update webinars.
Over 100 artists, creative workers and organizations played their part in strengthening democracy through Create the Vote.
Over 600 signers urged Governor Baker to include the creative sector in Reopening Planning.
Together we’ve communicated with members of Congress and State legislators a variety of bills and issues related to our communities survival.
As the year comes to a close, the MASSCreative team is proud of the work we, as an advocacy community, has accomplished together.
We’ll be back at it in 2021, and we hope you will continue to partner with us for a stronger, more inclusive creativity sector in the Commonwealth.
About MASSCreative
MASSCreative works with artists, cultural councils, arts organizations, and the broader creative community to build a Commonwealth where arts and creativity are an expected, recognized, and valued part of everyday life. Working with their coalition of 400 arts and cultural organizations and artists from across the Commonwealth, MASSCreative uses public education and awareness, grassroots organizing, advocacy campaigns, and other civic and political engagement to ensure that arts, culture, and creativity are considered when important policy and political decisions are made at the state and local levels.
