Elections are a great time to talk about the strengths and challenges our cities face and the vision for our community. While candidates spend lots of time talking about jobs, the economy, and education, they rarely talk about arts and culture as part of their vision. During the Boston mayoral election in 2013, MASSCreative launched Create the Vote, a nonpartisan public education campaign to raise awareness and support for the arts among voters and candidates running for public office.

Building off the momentum of last fall's mayoral campaign, the Fitchburg Creative Economy Task Force, the Fitchburg Cultural Alliance, and MASSCreative are partnering together once again for Create the Vote - Fitchburg and Lunenberg to engage the candidates on arts and cultural issues and the role they play in building a vibrant, healthy, and equitable communities.

We look forward to engaging the candidates for Worcester's 3rd House District around arts, culture, and creativity and shifting the dialogue about the arts from nice to necessary.