BOSTON, January 27, 2021—Today, Gov. Charlie Baker released his proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2022. In it, he recommends allocating $16.3 million for the Mass Cultural Council, which would be 10 percent less than the Mass Cultural Council’s current budget. MASSCreative Executive Director Emily Ruddock issued the following statement in response:
“We appreciate that the Commonwealth of Massachusetts continues to experience profound challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic. But we are disappointed with a proposed budget that would require a 10 percent reduction in funding from the Mass Cultural Council’s current $18.2 spending level.
“Throughout this pandemic, arts and cultural organizations have found creative ways to keep people connected, including virtual performances offered at no cost, outdoor performances, and free music, dance, and theatre instruction via Zoom for vulnerable youth. Non-profits of all sizes have done this work despite the pandemic-related devastation experienced by arts and cultural organizations that have collectively lost over $483 million since last March. Meanwhile, individual artists, teaching artists, and scientist/humanists have lost over $20 million in personal income.
“The connections forged by community arts non-profits throughout the pandemic have been absolutely vital to our mental, emotional, and spiritual health. As we move forward with policy prescriptions for the post-pandemic world, community connections that foster well-being will be critical. And the non-profit arts and cultural sector will be key to those efforts.
“We look forward to working with members of the House as the FY2022 budget process proceeds. We also look forward to sharing the ways in which art, creativity, and culture have been positively affecting constituents throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.”
About MASSCreative
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.
