More than 150 artists, organizations, advocates, and leaders statewide will raise awareness of the benefits of arts and culture in their communities
October 21, 2015—MassCreative will sponsor Arts Matter Day, a day to raise awareness of the importance of arts and culture to local communities, on Friday, Oct. 23. More than 150 artists, arts and cultural organizations, cultural leaders, and advocates across the Commonwealth will mark the day by holding events or participating in the #ArtsMatterDay social media campaign to demonstrate the impact of the arts on education, local economies, and community-building.
As part of Arts Matter Day, MASSCreative is encouraging participants to take the 10-Second #ArtsMatter Challenge—creating a video that explains in 10 seconds or less why the arts matter to an individual or organization. The organization is also asking for #ArtsMatter photos, in which participants will post to social media images depicting why arts matter to them with the #ArtsMatter hashtag.
“Across our Commonwealth, community-based arts organizations are educating our children, creating places and experiences that strengthen our neighborhoods and improve quality of life, and helping to grow local economies,” said Matt Wilson, executive director of MASSCreative. “These are among the many reasons that arts matter in Massachusetts and that’s what we’ll demonstrate to policy makers and the public on Arts Matter Day.”
Other Arts Matter Day events include:
Bernardston: Meadowedge Art is holding a community-wide Creatathon, using discarded junk.
Haverhill: Creative Haverhill is hosting a City Council candidate forum on arts and culture issues in Haverhill.
Hingham: The South Shore Conservatory will mark the day with performances in their lobbies. Additionally, students, staff, and faculty members will create social media posts about the importance of the arts.
Jamaica Plain: The Hyde Square Task Force will be working with youth and other neighborhood residents to create #ArtsMatter videos to share on social media.
Pittsfield: The Berkshire Museum will recruit visitors to create signs voicing why the arts matter to them and post the statements on their social media channels.
Also on Friday, voters in Gloucester, Medford, Fitchburg, Worcester, New Bedford, and Springfield will be encouraged to learn about mayoral candidates' positions on arts and culture. MASSCreative has partnered with local arts groups in those communities to run Create the Vote campaigns highlighting the importance of arts and culture to the economic strength and livability of local communities. Candidate questionnaires will be available to read at Mass-Creative.org.
Launched in October 2014, Arts Matter Days are an opportunity to educate the public and political leaders about the need to support the artists and arts organizations, which are helping to grow the Commonwealth’s creative economy. Last year’s inaugural Arts Matter Day featured a host of arts programming around the Commonwealth, as well as a social media campaign targeting gubernatorial and legislative candidates with emails, videos, and posts demonstrating the impact of arts and culture in Massachusetts. The second Arts Matter Day in March 2015 featured a speaking program of artists, cultural leaders, and advocates at Citi Wang Theatre followed by a march to the State House to meet with legislators and educate them about the need to support the arts.
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Founded in 2012, MASSCreative works with creative leaders and entrepreneurs, working artists, arts educators, and arts and cultural supporters to empower creative organizations and the public with a powerful voice to advocate for the resources and support necessary to build vibrant and connected communities.
