Today, the Massachusetts Legislature approved the Conference Committee’s FY19 budget recommendations, which include a $2 million increase for the Mass Cultural Council to bring the state’s investment in arts, culture, and creativity to $16.1 million. MASSCreative Executive Director Matt Wilson offered the following statement in response:

“We’re incredibly thankful to House Speaker Robert DeLeo, Senate President Harriette L. Chandler, Ways and Means Chairs Sen. Karen Spilka and Rep. Jeffrey Sanchez, Reps. Cory Atkins and Stephen Kulik and Sen. Adam Hinds, and Cultural Caucus Chairs Sen. Julian Cyr and Rep. Mary Keefe, for their leadership advocating for an increased public investment in the Mass Cultural Council.

“We urge Gov. Charlie Baker to sign the budget with this increase included. Our state and local economies are made up of hundreds of downtown districts that would be diminished without the contributions of nonprofit arts organizations, who generated more than $2.2 billion in activity in 2015 alone. Our community life is also much richer when the arts are a part of it. Creativity and culture are the building blocks for vibrant, equitable, and connected neighborhoods, and arts education benefits learners of all ages and across fields of study.

“These economic and community benefits do not happen incidentally. They are the result of deliberate choices to invest in local cultural councils that provide free opportunities for arts and creative events and programs to all members of our communities. They happen when we nurture the development of the Commonwealth’s vast and diverse community of artists, who are driving the reinvigoration of the state’s gateway cities including Lynn, New Bedford, and Springfield. And they happen when we invest in arts education and field trips to museums, theatrical productions and musical performances so that every student has access to art, culture, and creativity.”

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MASSCreative works with artists, cultural councils, arts organizations and the broader creative community to build a Commonwealth where arts and creativity are an expected, recognized, and valued part of everyday life. Working with our coalition of 400 arts and cultural organizations and artists from across the Commonwealth, MASSCreative uses public education and awareness, grassroots organizing, advocacy campaigns, and other civic and political engagement to ensure that arts, culture, and creativity are considered when important policy and political decisions get made at the state and local level.