Friday October 23, 1:30 pm - 3:00 pm. 

Many of us have focused our advocacy passion and organizing energy on November 3. Through Create the Vote, the arts and cultural community has stepped up to play our part educating and advocating to our audiences for a complete census count and increased voter registration and turnout.  

Our voter education efforts are ongoing and the outcome of the election is still weeks away.  However, in the months following the election, a new Congress will be seated and the new two-year legislative session begins here in Massachusetts. For arts and cultural supporters, this means there our shared work advocating for an inclusive, strong and publicly supported arts and cultural sector in Massachusetts continues. 

Join MASSCreative and the Create the Vote Steering Committee to hear what we can expect in the coming months for arts and cultural advocacy and learn from arts and cultural activists who have incorporated advocacy into their creative practice. 

BOSTON, October 19, 2020—MASSCreative announces today that it has named Tri Vi Quach as its new Director of Engagement and Organizing, where he will advance MASSCreative’s arts community organizing and coalition building efforts among arts leaders and advocates across the state. Quach brings over 20 years of experience in community organizing, student development, and education to this work.

“Tri is a skilled organizer and leader who knows how to build partnerships across diverse communities,” said Emily Ruddock, MASSCreative’s executive director. “As we continue to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic’s devastating impact on the creative sector, Tri’s experience in building community and finding innovative ways to connect will be of great value to the state’s arts, culture, and creative communities.” 

“We are incredibly excited to welcome Tri to the MASSCreative team,” added MASSCreative Board of Directors Chair Steve Immerman. “Political support for art, culture, and creativity requires on-going organizing and advocacy. Tri has the background and experience to build strong partnerships among artists, creative and culture workers, and arts and cultural organizations. He will be vital to our work  building a stronger and more inclusive creative sector in Massachusetts.” 

Quach was, most recently, a program coordinator, artist-in-residence, and adjunct faculty at the University of Massachusetts Boston in the Asian American Studies Program. There he focused on inclusive pedagogies and models of activism and organizing within the context of social movements. He integrated art and culture as a tool of empowerment into all aspects of his work, from installations across campus to assignments in the classroom. A visual artist, Quach uses a variety of mediums to share complex, sometimes contradictory, narratives of marginalization, trauma, diaspora and liberation. Quach is also the former director of the Coalition for Asian Pacific American Youth, a youth-directed organization focused on empowering youth to be leaders in their communities and schools, and advocates for the changes they wanted to see. 

“Art and activism are synonymous to me, and I’m excited to build on MASSCreative’s strong foundation of grassroots organization,” Quach said. “Art and culture are foundational elements to every community’s health and vibrancy but have often been positioned as a luxury good. Art plays a core role in strengthening communities by lifting voices through song, paintings, or dance. Art builds critical thinkers and broadens perspective of what is possible. In this way art is essential and I look forward to working with our creative sector to ensuring that everyone in the Commonwealth has access to it.” 

Quach holds an MS in Transnational, Cultural, and Community Studies and a BA in Art from the University of Massachusetts Boston. 

MASSCreative continues to monitor and report on state and federal policy that supports equitable communities and a stronger, more inclusive creative sector. Here's the Policy Update from the last two week including:

• Federal Stimulus Bill
• FY21 State Budget
• End of the Moratorium on Evictions and Foreclosures
• New guidance from the Dept of Elementary and Secondary Education on musical instruments

Youtube Link

Download the Slide Deck Here

Links to Resources Mentioned

October 16 Policy Updates

Register for October COVID-19 Virtual Policy & Action Updates here

Youtube Link

Download the Slide Deck Here 

Links to Resources Mentioned

Register for September COVID-19 Virtual Policy & Action Updates here

On September 11, the Create the Vote Steering Committee hosted Creating the Vote: How to Actually Take Action, a webinar to help artists, culture workers and creative organizations think about the ways to support and strengthen our democracy. You can watch a recording of the webinar here. 

Check out the resources mentioned in the webinar below.

In partnership with arts and cultural leaders in the city of Cambridge, MASSCreative is hosting a petition to Mayor Siddiqui, Vice Mayor Mallon, City Manager DePasquale, and esteemed members of the Cambridge City Council to advocate for protection and relief for arts and culture in Cambridge. Learn more about the Central Square Arts Network leading the petition and local advocacy.

Since the arrival of COVID-19 to the Commonwealth and Cambridge, arts and cultural organizations - as well as the artists, creative workers and administrators who make up the sector - have been greatly impacted. 

A report from the Mass Cultural Council shared these sobering facts:

• $425 Million in reported lost revenues by arts and cultural nonprofits
• 17,000 jobs in the creative community affected

These impacts are felt by artists, creative workers, and arts & cultural organizations in Cambridge. Leaders of the Cambridge arts and cultural community are preparing to send the following letter to recently sent the following letter to Mayor Siddiqui, Vice Mayor Mallon, City Manager DePasquale, and members of the Cambridge City Council

If you are a Cambridge resident or work in Cambridge, add your name to the petition.

08/28/20 UPDATE: Mayor Curtatone and the ResiStat program will host a Arts Community Town Hall Meeting 9/15/20 at 6:30pm. We encourage all Somerville arts community members and supporters to join this event. 

Read more about the town hall

In partnership with arts and cultural leaders in the city of Somerville, MASSCreative is hosting a petition to Mayor Curtatone and the City Councilors of Somerville to advocate for protection and relief for arts and culture in Somerville. 

Since the arrival of COVID-19 to the Commonwealth and Somerville, arts and cultural organizations - as well as the artists, creative workers and administrators who make up the sector - have been greatly impacted. 

A report from the Mass Cultural Council shared these sobering facts:

• $425 Million in reported lost revenues by arts and cultural nonprofits
• 17,000 jobs in the creative community affected

These impacts are felt by artists, creative workers, and arts & cultural organizations in Somerville. Leaders of the Somerville arts and cultural community recently sent the following letter to Mayor Curtatone and the City Councilors of Somerville

If you are a Somerville resident or work in Somerville, add your name to the petition.

On September 1, we encourage arts and cultural venues to participate in #WeMakeEvent's day of action and visibility: #RedAlertRESTART "when buildings, structures, and residences will be lit in red from 9pm-12am (local time in each market) as the event rolls across North America. The goal to raise public awareness that the Live Events Industry is on Red Alert for its very survival, and create congressional pressure to act now."