Arts Buzz 
WGBH: Arts Isn’t Nice, It’s Necessary
In an op-ed for WGBH, our executive director Matt Wilson drops facts and figures about the impact of arts and culture in Massachusetts.
“The statistics are compelling. Nonprofit arts and cultural organizations in Massachusetts support more than 45,000 jobs and spend $2.1 billion annually. Every dollar spent by an arts and cultural organization generates $2.30 in sales for nearby businesses, which results in another $2.5 billion of economic activity.” Read the whole piece over at WGBH.
LGBTs: Think about the arts when you go to vote
Craig Coogan, the executive director of the Boston Gay Men’s Chorus and MASSCreative’s Matt Wilson collaborated for their latest op-ed in the Rainbow Times, encouraging Massachusetts voters to vote with the arts in mind on November 4th.
“Art does something else that is impossible to put a price on: it builds community. We in the LGBT community know this isn’t nice—it’s necessary. Whether we are talking about theater, music, poetry, painting, or other media, art is―and always has been―a critical part of the LGBT experience.”
To read their op-ed in full, click here.
Boston Globe: Autistic musicians shine at Boston Conservatory
In their latest project, the Boston Conservatory has created an outlet for autistic musicians in the state of Massachusetts. In a venue within Fenway Park, Rhoda Bernard, the chair of the Musical Education Department at the Boston Conservatory, has provided a musical outlet for 30 students on the autism spectrum for the past six years.
“There is an acceptance here, a trust that these students rarely find. Music has patterns. It has pacing. It has rhythm. And all of that provides a portal to learning for students on the autism spectrum. The results are quite simply life-changing.”
To read more about the program by the Boston Conservatory, check out this article by Thomas Farragher in the Boston Globe.
President Obama on National Arts & Humanities Month
October is National Arts and Humanities Month. President Barack Obama opened the month stating, “America has flourished because of the creative spirit and vision of our people. Our nation is built on the freedom of expression, and we rely on the arts and humanities to broaden our views and remind us of the truths that connect us. We must never take for granted the wonder we feel when standing before a timeless work of art or the world of memories that is unlocked with a simple movement or note."
Read more comments from President Obama and MASSCreative’s Matt Wilson here.
