BOSTON, September 23, 2014— Statement by Matt Wilson, MASSCreative Executive Director, on Boston Mayor Marty Walsh’s Appointment of Boston Arts Commissioner Julie Burros:

“We applaud Boston Mayor Martin Walsh for his appointment of Julie Burros as the city’s Arts Commissioner. Burros is a highly-regarded urban planner with significant background in the arts. She will report directly to the Mayor alongside the Police Commissioner, Superintendent of Schools, and seven other cabinet officials. This is a history-making appointment by Mayor Walsh, and we look forward to working with Burros as the Walsh administration moves forward with strategic arts initiatives that will impact not just the city of Boston, but the entire Greater Boston area.

“During the mayoral campaign, Walsh was the first candidate to pledge to hire a cabinet-level arts commissioner, and his fulfillment of that promise is truly groundbreaking. Boston has never reaped the benefits that can come with coordinated and strategic arts planning taking place hand in hand with other city priorities including education, public safety, and economic development. Other municipalities around the country, most notably Chicago, where Burros most recently worked as the city’s Director of Cultural Planning, show what can be accomplished with a cabinet-level cultural officer working directly with the Mayor to build community.”

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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.