Once again, we have good news to report from the State House. 

Last week, the Senate approved Senator Dan Wolf’s amendment to add $1.6 million to the MCC budget. This vote increases the state's investment in the creative community by 17% to a total of just over $11 million.

The positive votes in the House and the Senate over the past month clearly show the influence the creative community can have at the State House when we speak in a unified voice and engage our constituencies to act.  Congratulations on a job well done.

While it was not the $12.5 million we were shooting for, this increase in the MCC budget is the first significant increase in the state’s investment in our work in 7 years.  This is an important step in the right direction as we work to rebuild the state investment in the creative community.

Our political leaders moved because the creative community came together and sent a clear message that the arts and cultural community is a priority. 

• The Grassroots Voice of the creative community was activated, sending more than 1,000 emails in 2 days to the Senate helping to recruit 24 co-sponsors to the Wolf Amendment.
  
  
• MASSCreative's Action Network Steering Committee did great personal outreach to their Senators and got the word out through the media.
  
  
• Senator Dan Wolf provided effective leadership inside the State House. As the co-chair of the Cultural Caucus, Senator Wolf took the lead with his colleagues and fought hard for all of us. 
  
  
• The Local Cultural Councils and the staff and Board of the MCC once again eloquently advocated and organized for their valuable programs.

A conference committee will now reconcile a minor $7,696 difference in the House and Senate budgets and the Governor will sign the budget into law at the end of June.

Once again, congratulations on a job well done.  Stay tuned as we take on our next challenge.