December 21, 2022 - The Create the Vote Coalition composed and sent a letter of congratulations to Governor-Elect Maura Healey and Lieutenant Governor-Elect Kim Driscoll. The letter offered congratulations, welcomed the pair to their new roles and thanked them both for their time engaging with the Create the Vote Coalition during their campaigns.
The letter also reiterated the policies within the coalition’s Arts and Culture Policy Platform that the Create the Vote MA Coalition urges the new administration to implement to strengthen a more inclusive and equitable arts and cultural economy and offered coalition members as a resource.
Throughout the summer and fall, cultural organizations and individuals were invited to endorse the Coalition’s Policy Platform to express their support, and 125 individuals and 63 organizations added their names. Endorsers include organizations varying in size from small to very large and individuals from all across the Commonwealth.
Read the full letter below.
Download a PDF printable version of the letter
Dear Governor-Elect Healey and Lieutenant Governor-Elect Driscoll,
On behalf of the Create the Vote Coalition, which represents artists, culture-bearers, and organizations from across the Commonwealth, we wish to congratulate you on your recent election win.
Throughout the campaign, you both offered time to connect with individuals who make up the arts and cultural community, and shared your thoughts about our sector, the challenges we face, and our ideas for how to create a thriving and inclusive Commonwealth for all residents. We know from roundtable conversations that you both are in support of arts and culture initiatives, and we offer our coalition members as a resource as you begin your administration.
Our Coalition developed an Arts and Culture Policy Platform to provide guidance to your individual offices regarding tangible actions that would strengthen a more inclusive and equitable creative sector for all residents in the Commonwealth. We urge you and your administration to enact policies and actions that:
- Build equitable and inclusive communities powered by arts and culture
- Increase public investment in the arts and culture sector
- Keep artists and creatives in their communities
- Invest in youth as the next generation of community leaders in Massachusetts through arts and culture
Our Arts and Culture Policy Platform was developed by the Create the Vote Coalition, a group of 66 individuals and organizations in the arts and culture sector and has been endorsed by 63 organizations and 125 individuals across the Commonwealth.
We look forward to supporting your work on these efforts and are eager to collaborate with your staff, Cabinet and administration to implement these agenda items to lead Massachusetts towards a more inclusive, equitable, and connected Commonwealth. We thank you for taking the time to read our letter and would like to extend an invitation to you and members of your Transition Committee to join us for one of our upcoming coalition meetings. The arts and cultural sector will be central to your efforts, and we look forward to working with you.
In Solidarity,
The Create the Vote MA Coalition
Coalition Partners
Nicole Agois, Open Door Arts, Managing Director, Greater Boston
John Andrews, Creative Collective, Founder, North of Boston
Rich Ardizzone, Joy of Music, Associate Director, Worcester/Central MA
Chelsea Aquino, Museum of Science, Senior Governor Relations Officer, Greater Boston
Candida Rose Baptista, Independent Musician, South Coast
Erin Becker, Cambridge Art Association, Norma Jean Calderwood Director, Greater Boston
Blair Benjamin, MASS MoCA's Assets for Artists Program, Director, Assets for Artists, Berkshires
Jazzmin Bonner, StageSource, Program Manager, Greater Boston
Emily Borababy, Celebrity Series of Boston, Chief Advancement Officer, Metro Boston
Bridget Brazeau, Greater Boston
Jo Broderick, Montserrat College of Art, Chief of Staff, North of Boston
Jamie Brody, Jewish Arts Collaborative, Collaborations Director, Greater Boston
Sara Brookner, Celebrity Series of Boston, Associate Director of Institutional Giving, Metro Boston
Debra Cash, Boston Dance Alliance, Executive Director, Greater Boston
Matt Chapuran, Lyric Stage Company of Boston, Executive Director Metro Boston
Tia Cole, Creative Collective, Community Engagement, North of Boston
J Cottle, Dunamis, Executive Director, Metro Boston
Julia Csekö, Visual Artist/Independent Curator/Educator, Greater Boston
Jennifer DeAngelis, Greater Boston
Ruth Dinerman, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Manager of Foundation Relations, Metro Boston
Gary Dunning, Celebrity Series of Boston, President and Executive Director, Metro Boston
Carrie Eldridge-Dickson, Shelter Music Boston, Managing Director, Greater Boston
Lauren Elias, Greater Boston
Christine Ernst, Cotuit Center for the Arts, Director of Education, Cape and Islands
Kaitlyn Farmer, Raw Art Works, Community Engagement Manager, North of Boston
Karen Finn, Springfield Cultural Partnership, Executive Director, Greater Springfield
Geena Forristall, StageSource, Membership Manager/Internship Coordinator, Greater Boston
Lucy Friedman-Bell, Metro Boston
Eleanor Gayhart, Greater Boston
Lynn Gervens, Mudflat Pottery School, Executive Director, Greater Boston
Scarlett Hoey, New England Museum Association, Membership and Development Manager, Metro West
Morgan Holland, Springfield Cultural Partnership, Director of Programs, Greater Springfield
Joel Jaquez, Embrace Boston, Associate Director of Policy and Partnerships, Greater Boston
Kim Jones, Strongstyle Coffee Roasters, Owner and operator, North of Boston
Arielle Kaplan, Creative Collective, Operations, North of Boston
Chris Kazarian, Arts Foundation of Cape Cod, Cape and Islands
David Kuehn, Cotuit Center for the Arts, Executive Director, Cape and Islands
Kate Kuligowski, Mudflat Pottery School, Marketing and Communications Director, Greater Boston
Annie Labins, Cotuit Center for the Arts, Marketing Manager, Cape and Islands
Jen Lewis, StageSource, Executive Director, Greater Boston
Gregory Liakos, Greater Boston
Laura Mandel, Jewish Arts Collaborative, Executive Director, Greater Boston
Lesley Marchessault, Provincetown Art Assoc. & Museum, Chief Development Officer, Cape and Islands
Ana Masacote, Dance to Power, Founder, North of Boston
Linda Matys O’Connell, MIFA Victory Theatre, Govt & Community Relations Coordinator, Greater Springfield
Molly Merrihew, WAM Theatre, Managing Director, Berkshires
Marissa Molinar, Midday Movement Series, Director, Greater Boston
Abigail Norman, Eliot School of Fine & Applied Arts, Executive Director, Greater Boston
Cliff Notez, HipStory, Metro Boston
John Quatrale, Unbound Visual Arts, Executive Director, Greater Boston
Heather Riggs, New England Museum Association, Director of Administration, Metro West
Karen Ristuben, Essex County Community Foundation, Program Director, Creative County Initiative, North of Boston
Lia Russell-Self, Artist and Connector, Berkshires
Leland Stein, Regent Theatre, Co-owner, Greater Boston
Karthik Subramanian, Company One Theatre, Co-Executive Director, Greater Boston
Ann Teixeira, New England Philharmonic, Greater Boston
Lisa Urovitch, Museum of Science, Government Relations Director, Greater Boston
Hank von Hellion, Worcester PopUp, Managing Director, Worcester/Central MA
Julie Wake, Arts Foundation of Cape Cod, Executive Director, Cape and Islands
Margeaux Weber, Cotuit Center for the Arts, Director of Development, Cape and Islands
Trudy Williams, Hampshire County
Roberta Wilmore, Make it Springfield, Executive Director, Greater Springfield
Meg Winikates, New England Museum Association, Director of Engagement, Metro West
Cynthia Woo, BCNC/Pao Arts Center, Director Pao Arts Center, Greater Boston
Rosemary Woods, Greater Springfield
Dan Yaeger, New England Museum Association, Executive Director, Metro West
Organizations Endorsing the platform
Apollinaire Theatre Company, Danielle Fauteux, Jacques, Artistic Director, Metro Boston
Arlekin Players Theatre, Sara Stackhouse, Managing Producer, Metro West
ArtsBoston, Catherine Peterson, Executive Director, Metro Boston
ArtsWorcester, Juliet Feibel, Executive Director, Worcester / Central MA
Blue Heron Renaissance Choir, Inc., Kathleen Brittan, Executive Director, Greater Boston
Boston Gay Men's Chorus, Craig Coogan, Executive Director, Metro Boston
Boston Music Project, Christopher Schroeder, Executive Director, Metro Boston
Boston Philharmonic, Derek Beckvold, Development Officer, Metro Boston
Cahoon Museum of American Art, Sarah Johnson, Executive Director, Cape and Islands
Cambridge Art Association, Erin Becker, Cambridge Art Association, Greater Boston
Cambridge Arts Council, Jason, Weeks, Cambridge Arts Council, Greater Boston
Cappella Clausura, Inc., Amelia J LeClair, Artistic Director, Metro West
Castle of our Skins, Ashleigh Gordon, Artistic/Executive Director & Violist, Metro Boston
Celebrity Series of Boston, Sara, Brookner, Associate Director of Institutional Giving, Metro Boston
Central Square Theater, Betsy Groban, VP of the board, Central Square Theater, Greater Boston
Chester Theatre Company, Tara Franklin, Co-Producing Artistic Director, Hampden
CineFest Latino Boston, Sabrina Aviles, Founder/Executive Director, Metro Boston
Company One Theatre, Karthik Subramanian, Managing Director, Metro Boston
Cultural Center of Cape Cod, Molly Demeulenaere, Executive Director, Cape and Islands
Drama Out of the Box, Meredith Charles, Owner/Creative Director, Worcester / Central MA
Eliot School of Fine & Applied Arts, Abigail Norman, Executive Director, Metro Boston
Embrace Boston, Joel Jaquez, Director of Policy and Partnerships , Metro Boston
Fall River Arts & Culture Coalition, Ashley Occhino, Executive Director, Bristol County
Front Porch Arts Collective, Maurice Emmanuel Parent, Co-Producing Artistic Director, Metro Boston
Handel and Haydn Society, Sally Bradford, VP of Marketing and Communications, Metro Boston
HipStory, Timothy Hall, Co-Owner, Metro Boston
Huntington Theatre Company, Temple Gill, Director of Public Affairs, Metro Boston
Hyannis Film Festival, William Ferrall, Managing Director, Cape and Islands
Integral Arts Everett, Karyn Alzayer, Director, North of Boston
Ipswich Cultural Council, Cynthia August, Council Member, North of Boston
Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Robin DeBlosi, Director of Marketing and Communications, Metro Boston
Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival, A. J. Pietrantone, Deputy Director, Berkshires
JazzBoston, Ken Field, President of the Board of Directors, Metro Boston
Jewish Arts Collaborative, Rachael Farber, Managing Director of Operations, Greater Boston
Joyce's Choices, Joyce Kulhawik
Ken Pierce Baroque Dance Company, Ken Pierce, Director, Greater Boston
Lyric Stage Company of Boston, Matt Chapuran, Executive Director, Metro Boston
Martha's Vineyard Playhouse, MJ Bruder Munafo, Artistic & Executive Director, Cape and Islands
Mass Poetry, Daniel Johnson, Executive Director, Metro Boston
MASSCreative, Emily Ruddock, Executive Director, Statewide
Metropolitan Wind Symphony (MetWinds), Leslie Hansen, President, Metro West
Mudflat Pottery School Inc., Lynn Gervens, Executive Director, Metro Boston
Multicultural Arts Center, Adria Katz, Managing Director, Greater Boston
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Maggie Scott, Senior Director of Government & Legal Affairs, Metro Boston
New England Foundation for the Arts, Ann Wicks, Communications Director, Metro Boston
New England Museum Association, Meg Winikates, Director of Engagement, Metro West
New England Philharmonic, John Kessen, Board President; French horn, Metro Boston
New Repertory Theatre, Angelica Potter, Director of Organizational Transition, Greater Boston
Northampton Community Music Center, Jason Trotta, Executive Director, Hampshire County
Open Door Arts, Nicole Agois, Managing Director, Metro Boston
Peabody Essex Museum, Kathleen Corcoran, Director of Institutional Giving, North of Boston
Provincetown Art Association and Museum, Lesley Marchessault, Chief Development Officer, Cape & Islands
Seaglass Theater Company, Patrice L Tiedemann, Artistic Director, Bristol County
Shelter Music Boston, Carrie Eldridge-Dickson, Managing Director, Metro Boston
South Shore Art Center, Patrice Maye, South Shore Art Center, Inc., Plymouth County
SpeakEasy Stage Company, Paul Daigneault, Producing Artistic Director, Metro Boston
StageSource, Jen Lewis, Interim Executive Director, Metro Boston
The Trustees of Reservations, Linda Orel, The Trustees of Reservations, Statewide
Theatre Espresso, Kortney Adams, Managing Director, Metro Boston
The Valley Arts Newsletter, Bronwen Hodgkinson, Publisher, Hampshire County
Worcester Chamber Music Society, Tracy Kraus, Executive Director, Worcester / Central MA
Worcester Cultural Coalition, Hank von Hellion, Managing Director, Worcester PopUp at the Jean McDonough Arts Center, Worcester / Central MA
Zea Mays Printmaking, Liz Chalfin, Director, Hampshire County
Individual Endorsers
Kortney Adams, Arts Educator and Administrator, Greater Boston
Nicole Agois, Managing Director, Greater Boston
Karyn Alzayer, Independent artist,North of Boston
Cynthia August, Independent Artist, North of Boston
Sabrina Aviles, Independent Filmmaker, Metro Boston
Anne, Beauregard, President Brockton Garden Club, Plymouth County
Erin, Becker, Metro Boston
Derek Beckvold, Metro Boston
Blair Benjamin, Director, MASS MoCA's Assets for Artists, Berkshires
Jonathan Blake, Independent Artist, Worcester / Central MA
Susanna Bolle, Director, Non-Event, Greater Boston
Sarah Brent, Greater Boston
Sara Brookner, Greater Boston
Ilana Brownstein, Company One Theatre, Director of New Work, Greater Boston
Lornie Bullerwell, Metro West
Mary Baine Campbell, Writer, arts educator, Cambridge
Lucie Castaldo, Executive Director of Berkshire Art Center, Berkshires
Liz Chalfin, Hampshire County
Matt Chapuran, Executive Director, Metro Boston
Meredith Charles, Arts Educator/Independent Artist, Worcester / Central MA
Julia Csekö, Independent Artist, Greater Boston
Paul Daigneault, Cape and Islands
Katherine Dander, Metro Boston
Susan Daniels, Greater Boston
Francine Davis, Greater Boston
Molly Demeulenaere, Cape and Islands
Lisa Dezmelyk, North of Boston
Frances (Teddi) A. DiCanio, North of Boston
Mary Dill, Metro Boston
Lisa M Donovan, Professor, Berkshires
Rosalyn Driscoll, Hampshire County
Carrie Eldridge-Dickson, Managing Director, North of Boston
Rachael Farber, Greater Boston
Juliet Feibel, Worcester / Central MA
William Ferrall, Writer • Editor, Cape and Islands
Ken Field, Composer & Musician, Greater Boston
Kara Fili, Independent Arts Educator and Performer, Greater Merrimack Valley
Lois and Art Finstien, Arts Educator / Performers, Metro West
Roz Forman, Berkshires
Patricia Frederick, Treasurer, Historical Piano Concerts, Inc., North Worcester County
Joanna Garren, Member, Everett Arts and Cultural Council, Greater Boston
Alicia M. Garza, North of Boston
Cynthia A Geller, North of Boston
Wynn Gerhard, Plymouth County
Lynn Gervens, Metro Boston
Christie Gibson, Greater Boston
Temple Gill, Arts Administrator, Greater Boston
Julia Gittleman, Greater Boston
Ashleigh Gordon, Musician, Metro Boston
Alisa Granada, Music Educator, Greater Boston
Betsy Groban, Board member of Central Square Theater, Greater Boston
Barbara Wallace Grossman, Tufts Theater Professor, MassCreative Board Member, Greater Boston
Adam Grossman , Greater Boston
Timothy Hall, Artist | Educator, Metro Boston
Susan C Hammond, Plymouth County
Ruth Harcovitz, Greater Boston
Mary Harvey, Greater Boston
Candace Heald, Board Member and Non-profit administrator, Bristol County
Rosemary Higgins, Monson, MA
Bronwen Hodgkinson, Publisher, Hampshire County
Jane Howland, Scenic designer, professor, founder of prop co-op, Metro West
Lillian Hsu, Greater Boston
Stephen Immerman, North of Boston
Danielle Fauteux Jacques, Metro Boston
Nancy Janoson, Director of New Horizons Band, Hampshire County
Joel Jaquez, Metro Boston
Mieko Kamii, Board member of Boston Children’s Museum, Metro West
Adria Katz, Independent Artist, Greater Boston
Chris Kelley, Independent Artist, Cape and Islands
Leigh Kelter, Director of Development, Project STEP, North of Boston
Diane Kennedy, Plymouth County
John Kessen, Metro Boston
Richard King, North of Boston
Tracy Kraus, Worcester / Central MA
Kelly Lawlor, Literacy Educator, Metro West
Amelia J LeClair, Metro West
Jennifer Lee, Berkshires
Jen Lewis, Theatre Artist and Educator, Greater Boston
James Liu, Independent Artist; Board member of Cantata Singers, Boston Singers' Resource, Lowell House Opera, and Boston Landmarks Orchestra, Greater Boston
Laura Rojo MacLeod, Amherst Bilingual Studio for Arts & Earth, Board member of FAC, UMass, Amherst, Amherst, MA
Richard Maloney, Metro West
Lesley Marchessault, Cape and Islands
Patrice Maye, Independent Artist, Arts Administrator, Plymouth County
Nora Maynard, Director of WholeTone Music Academy, Franklin County
Christine McCarthy, CEO, Provincetown Art Association and Museum, Cape and Islands
Mary E McKenna, Mary McKenna & Associates, Inc., Cape and Islands
Annie Laurie Medonis, Greater Boston
Ann-Marie Messbauer, Musician, Greater Springfield
Lisa Micali, President, Coro-Dante, Metro Boston
Jean R. Mineo, Executive Director, Bellforge Arts Center, Metro West
MJ Bruder Munafo, Cape and Islands
Charly Nanda, Arts Advocate, Metro West
Debra Nimetz, Hampshire County
Abigail Norman, Arts Administrator, Metro Boston
Ashley Occhino, Bristol County
Maurice Emmanuel Parent, Independent Artists and Educator, North of Boston
Robin Perlow, Metro West
Catherine Peterson, Metro Boston
Ken Pierce, Dancer/teacher/choreographer, Greater Boston
A. J. Pietrantone, Arts Administrator, Berkshires
Shany Porras, Independent Artist, Berkshires
Rachel Roccoberton, Greater Boston
Barbara M. Rockefeller, Cape and Islands
Emily Ruddock, Greater Boston
Dawn Estabrooks Salerno, Bristol County
Doris Sasson, Metro West
Stanley Sayer, Metro Boston
Ellen Scerbo, Artist, Metro Boston
Christopher Schroeder, Metro Boston
Maggie Scott, Greater Boston
Pam Shanley, Board member of CACHE in Medford MA, Greater Boston
Norma Shulman, Metro West
Robert Smyth, Metro Boston
Conee Sousa, Bristol County
Sara Stackhouse, Producer, Metro West
Karthik Subramanian, Greater Merrimack Valley
Ariana JS Taylor, North of Boston
Ann Teixeira, Board member of two performing arts entities, Metro Boston
Patrice L Tiedemann, Independent Artist, Bristol County
Jason Trotta, Greater Springfield
Hank von Hellion, Leicester, MA
Jason Weeks, Artist, Metro West
Erin I. Williams, Worcester Cultural Coalition Executive Director, Emeritus, Franklin County
Meg Winikates, Poet, Norfolk County
Kimmie Hadasah Zeltzer Underprestend Artist with a disability and award-winning songwriter, filmmaker and mental health advocate, Greater Boston
About Create The Vote
The Create The Vote Coalition is a nonpartisan network of artists, creative workers, cultural organizations and arts groups working together in collaboration and shared advocacy. We raise awareness among voters and candidates for office about the vital role that arts, culture and creative expression play in building inclusive, connected, and more equitable communities. We envision a Commonwealth where arts, culture, and creativity are accessible to and representative of all residents.
