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." 

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:

• School reopening plans and arts education guidance
• What we can expect from federal and state government this fall.

As we approach the September 1 primary, volunteers and staff from candidate campaigns are busy reaching out to voters via calls and texts to urge support for their candidates. This is an excellent opportunity to learn more about a candidate’s platform and issues - especially how the candidate sees arts and culture as a vital part of community cohesion and economic vibrancy for their district. Instead of quickly and politely signing off, be sure to engage the candidate or their campaign in a quick conversation on arts and culture. Here are three questions that we encourage voters ask to learn more about a candidate’s support for arts and culture:

• What is the candidate’s cultural policy platform? Urge candidates to check out the Cultural New Deal for Cultural and Racial Justice and the Americans for the Arts Action Fund’s 2020 Arts Platform Positions. 
  
  
• How does the candidate see arts and culture playing a role to advance their top campaign priorities?
  
  
• According to the Mass Artists Leaders Coalition’s By Artists, For Artists 2018 report, arts and creatives vote at high rates. How will the candidate address the crisis creative workers and the cultural community currently faces as a result of COVID-19?

When candidates get more questions on an issue they are more inclined to develop policies that support the issue. By asking questions you help ensure the issues and challenges facing the creative community rise to the top. 

Download the Slide Deck Here 

Links to Resources Mentioned

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

Fall 2020 is a pivotal year for civic engagement and there is paying work available to ensure a strong and healthy democracy in our nation and commonwealth. 

While the presidential election often takes center stage, a wide array of local and national elections (Nov. 3) and Massachusetts primaries (Sept. 1) are taking place this year, with the potential to shape the future of the Commonwealth. Additionally, 2020 is a Census year. Census data directly impacts the allocation of billions of Federal funding dollars, as well as determines congressional, state, and local district boundaries. It is vital that we complete the count in Massachusetts to ensure everyone is represented.

The National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) that represents live music venues and promoters put out the following statement in support of the Save our Stages Act:

"Independent live music and entertainment venues have been hard-hit during the coronavirus pandemic, with 90 percent of venue owners, promoters, and bookers reporting they are at risk of closing permanently without additional financial assistance. If ticket sales do not resume until 2021, the industry will have lost an estimated $9 billion in ticket sales alone. The Save Our Stages Act:

• Establishes a $10 billion grant program for live venue operators, promoters, producers and talent representatives
• Directs the Small Business Administrator to make grants to eligible recipients equal to the lesser of either 45% of gross revenue from 2019 or $12 million
• Allows the Small Business Administrator to issue supplemental grants in the future if funding remains available and applicants can demonstrate continued need
• Permits recipients to use grants for costs incurred during the COVID pandemic
• Permits recipients to use grants for rent, utilities, mortgage obligations, PPE procurement, payments to contractors, regular maintenance, administrative costs, taxes, operating leases, and capital expenditures related to meeting state, local, or federal social distancing guidelines
• The Save Our Stages Act is endorsed by (NIVA) and the National Independent Talent Organization (NITO).

This is our final push to Congress and there won’t be another opportunity. We NEED the #SaveOurStagesAct and the #RestartAct passed in order to keep independent venues nationwide from closing permanently."

The arts and cultural sector of Massachusetts includes for profit and nonprofit organizations as well as artists, culture workers, creatives and administrators.  Our vibrancy and economic value to the Commonwealth is directly related to our diversity. Massachusetts cannot afford to lose live music and performance venues.  We encourage arts and cultural advocates and supporters to reach out to your Senators and members of Congress to support Save Our Stages and CREATE Act.

As we enter the second week of August, new orders from Governor Baker will impact the arts and cultural community’s reopening preparations. We’ve included a summary of the new executive order in this bi-weekly Policy and Action review, as well as a recording of last Friday’s Policy and Action Update webinar, updates on bills we are tracking, updates on arts education, and ways to take action on the municipal, state and federal level.

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 Federal & State Policy Updates, including: Chamber of Commerce letter to Congress Gov. Baker’s new gathering requirements Arts education reopening guidance

Spotlight: Community Conversations on Martha's Vineyard When the COVID-19 pandemic hit the Commonwealth back in March, uncertainties abounded: how long would the lockdown last? How could we keep safe? That the nature of the virus required us to isolate and be apart from our communities only heightened our anxieties. In the arts & cultural sector, where community connection is so often at the very core of our work, the loss felt particularly devastating. In that moment, the only solution seemed to be to find a way to come together.  Ann Smith, the executive director of Martha’s Vineyard’s Featherstone Center for the Arts, who chaired Arts Martha’s Vineyard (ArtsMV) for a decade, knew to start with a conversation. Read more

Virtual Policy & Action Updates Thank you to the hundreds of advocates that have joined the MASSCreative team for our weekly Virtual Policy & Action Updates on Fridays from 9:45-10:00am. Check out MASSCreative’s August 7 Policy & Action Update Register for MASSCreative’s August 21 Policy & Action Update