Last year, over 5,000 people signed our petition to encourage Governor Deval Patrick to increase state investment in the creative community through the Massachusetts Cultural Council budget. In coming together to boldly ask for what we need, we ignited an arts advocacy campaign and were able to influence Governor Patrick to take a crucial step toward restoring essential funding.

Not only did the campaign work, increasing funding by 17%, but it also marked the beginning of an arts legacy for the governor.

After signing an increased budget for FY2014, Governor Patrick kept the momentum going when he tripled the state’s allocation to the Cultural Facilities Fund. This second bold move paves the way for a continued legacy of support for arts, culture, and creativity in the Commonwealth.

Building on the progress made in the past year, our FY2015 petition asks for a $16 million allocation to the Massachusetts Cultural Council budget, which would elevate investment in the day-to-day operations of the creative community by $5 million. Go ahead and sign it now.

Twenty-five years ago, the Commonwealth invested $26 million in the creative community; ten years ago that investment was $19 million. Today, the MCC budget stands at just $11.1 million.

When you sign the petition, you are helping the creative community restore its former financial standing. With a $5 million increase, the FY2015 Massachusetts Cultural Council budget will support:

• Education. MCC funding of teaching artists and youth programs help benefit under-resourced students. Numerous studies show that arts education increases the academic achievement of under-resourced youth across all disciplines.
• Economic Development. The Commonwealth’s 329 Local Cultural Councils support more than 1,500 community arts and cultural organizations in all towns and cities across the state.
• Community. Funding for the arts and cultural institutions that are the creative centers of our communities will connect children and adults to theatre, music, visual arts, and film; teach them about history, literature, and the natural environment; and introduce them to new languages and cultures. All of this work helps build the connected communities that make Massachusetts an exceptional place in which to live, work, play, and visit.

Add your name to the petition and pass it along to friends, family, and colleagues.