CREATIVES AT WORK: RICHARD CHWASTIAK
Photography by Lipe Borges
“From engaging local leaders to framing our performances within broader social impact goals, the fellowship has strengthened how I lead collaborative initiatives and mobilize diverse audiences.”
THE PEOPLE SUPPORTING CREATIVITY IN OUR CITIES & TOWNS
Richard “Rich” Chwastiak is the External Affairs Manager at Cape Symphony and a respected graduate of MASSCreative’s Advocacy & Organizing Fellowship. In 2024, Rich was recognized as one of Cape & Plymouth Business Marketing’s “40 Under 40” honorees. Rich lives in Yarmouth Port with his family and has found unique ways to leverage creativity to inspire his community to become more civically active.
We asked Rich to share with us how he got involved with MASSCreative and how our partnership has supported his advocacy.
An Interview with Rich Chwastiak
What’s your history with MASSCreative?
Rich: I was honored to serve as a 2023–2024 Advocacy & Organizing Fellow with MASSCreative. The program provided an invaluable platform for emerging cultural leaders like myself to develop the skills and confidence needed to turn creative work into civic action. My fellowship culminated in Notes for Change, a concert that combined live music and spoken narrative to illuminate Cape Cod’s housing crisis. This performance featured artists personally affected by the housing shortage and wove together emotional testimony, housing data, and community voices into a storytelling format that moved audiences to reflect—and to act.
What have you learned, or what skills have you gained, from participating in MASSCreative’s programs or advocacy campaigns?
Rich: The fellowship equipped me with critical tools in grassroots organizing, public policy, cultural advocacy, and narrative strategy. These skills allowed me to design an event that not only moved audiences emotionally but also connected directly to policy change and local partnerships.
How are the skills, networks, experiences, or resources that you gained from these programs still supporting your advocacy and organizing?
Rich: I continue to apply the training from MASSCreative in my role at Cape Symphony, particularly in building community-driven programming through Cape Symphony Presents. From engaging local leaders to framing our performances within broader social impact goals, the fellowship has strengthened how I lead collaborative initiatives and mobilize diverse audiences.
Photography by Paul Blackmore
Where are you directing your advocacy and community organizing right now?
Rich: I’m currently focused on advancing cultural access and equity through Cape Symphony Presents programming that brings high-quality live music directly into under-resourced Cape Cod communities.
Our Exit 11: Live at the Orpheum series in Chatham offers five months of affordable, world-class concerts for local residents—many of whom face geographic or financial barriers to the arts. Similarly, our Secret Planet Cape Cod series introduces global music traditions to Cape audiences, expanding cultural awareness and celebrating diverse artistic voices.
Both series are designed to break down barriers, foster community connection, and make the arts more inclusive and impactful—values I continue to champion using the advocacy and organizing skills developed through my MASSCreative Fellowship.
Why is it important to support MASSCreative and arts advocacy?
Rich: MASSCreative provides the essential infrastructure for artists and administrators alike to become civic leaders. Their programs empower us to turn creative expression into civic action. As I launch the Cape Symphony Presents 25|26 season—with concerts rooted in collaboration, place, and purpose—I carry forward MASSCreative’s mission to ensure the arts are not just seen but truly valued as drivers of change across the Commonwealth.
