For the past few weeks, MASSCreative has been organizing district meetings around Boston, creating a meeting ground for local artists and lawmakers. These meetings invite State Representatives and Senators to a forum where they can hear from local artists about how the arts benefit their communities, while giving insight on the best way to approach them about increasing funding for the arts.
We have to show legislators why this funding is essential to our communities by demonstrating how we are inspired on a daily basis by arts organizations around the city and what arises out of that inspiration.
Turns out the Somerville Arts Council is already on that train.
Introducing HATCH!: a project led by these two organization as part of an effort to increase public support for the arts, cultural and creative sector by creating what they call "art eggs". Volunteers are being called to attend one of two meetings. There, they will be nested together, along with messages from Somervillians, and delivered Governor Deval Patrick and the other state senators and representatives that comprise the Joint Committee on Ways and Means.
"The idea being - if legislators take care of their eggs (i.e. fund the arts), creativity will hatch!"
Volunteers are welcome to bring whatever materials they'd like to work with as well, but the main ingredient is to bring an idea to decorate one or more eggs.
This is an incredible example of how we can leverage creativity to deliver the message to our legislators. Who is going to forget about a basket of brightly colored eggs that suddenly appear outside your door one morning with written pleas from members of the community?
Kudos to Somerville Arts Council! And to those interested, the first meeting is Sunday, March 23rd, from 3-5 pm at the Nave Gallery. If you can't make it, there is another taking place on Thursday, April 3rd, 6-9 pm, at Mudflat, 81 Broadway, Somerville. Make your voice heard and restore funding to the creative community!
Click here to read the full article on the Somerville Arts Council's website.
