BOSTON, July 29, 2015—Today, the Massachusetts House and Senate voted to override Governor Charlie Baker’s veto and restore $2.3 million in funding in the Fiscal Year 2016 budget for the Massachusetts Cultural Council. MASSCreative Executive Director Matt Wilson issued the following statement in response: 

“The arts and cultural community is thrilled by the bi-partisan support from the House and Senate to restore investment in the Commonwealth’s arts, cultural and creative sector. This vote shows a deep faith in the work of the creative community to help build a vibrant, healthy and equitable Commonwealth.

This unanimous vote in the Senate and a 153-2 vote in the House brings the Massachusetts Cultural Council budget back to $14.16 million – the amount originally passed by the Legislature. The override marks a 20% bump over last year and the largest increase in state investment in the past nine years. The restored money will provide increases to most MCC arts and cultural grantees and local cultural councils, provide new grants for the Commonwealth’s 29 cultural districts and provide funding for festivals.

We were extremely disappointed in Gov. Baker’s short-sighted decision to veto the Legislature’s increased investment in the Massachusetts Cultural Council. The vote today keeps up the momentum the arts and culture community has built over the past three years to increase the state’s investment in the arts by 49 percent from $9.5 million to $14.16 million. Yet, even as the House and Senate approve this generous increase, the state is still investing nearly half of what it allocated for the arts, cultural and creative community more than 25 years ago. We remain grateful to state lawmakers and legislative leaders who recognized and understood the vital need to increase investment and who voted for restoration of this money.”

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Founded in 2012, MASSCreative works with creative leaders and entrepreneurs, working artists, arts educators, and arts and cultural supporters to empower creative organizations and the public with a powerful voice to advocate for the resources and support necessary to build vibrant and connected communities. More than 300 arts and cultural organizations from around the state are members of MASSCreative.