November 3, 2014—MASSCreative announced today that leaders and supporters of arts and culture in Brockton met with Candidate for State Rep. Michelle DuBois Oct. 31 at the Fuller Craft Museum to discuss the candidate’s vision for the creative community in the 10th Plymouth district.
The candidate described arts and culture as stabilizing forces that help to keep the community whole. “There’s a lot of new murals in Brockton―when a child walks by a building and sees a mural where there used to be a brick, we’ve provided a positive influence,” DuBois said. “Art, especially in cities like Brockton, allows individuals to express themselves and can provide a way to cope with turmoil.”
DuBois, who is a crafter and married to artist Adam Swinson, described her experience in volunteering with MASS MoCA to bring arts and culture to North Adams when she was finishing college in the late 1990s. “It was an exciting evolution for the city, and it had an important impact on fostering a creative community,” she said.
DuBois promised to support investment in the Massachusetts Cultural Council and the Cultural Facilities Fund, and to ensure that the 10th Plymouth District benefits from it. A proponent of incentivizing the re-use of old buildings in the district, DuBois committed to working with the legislature to encourage buyers to rent instead of sitting on property until the land becomes more valuable.
“Nonprofit arts and cultural organizations in Massachusetts support more than 45,000 jobs, spend $2.1 billion annually, and generate another $2.5 billion of economic activity,” said Matt Wilson, Executive Director of MASSCreative. “We see the impact of the arts locally here in Brockton through the work of the local cultural councils, which make the arts accessible to young children, students, families, and older adults. They also help support working artists. We look forward to working with lawmakers in the next legislative session to ensure that the Commonwealth is getting the most out of its investment in the arts.”
Arts and cultural leaders including Jonathan Fairbanks and Joseph Cronin of Fuller Craft Museum, and Arnie Danielson of Brockton Arts, met with DuBois.
MASSCreative is meeting with candidates through the Create the Vote Coalition—a collaboration of Massachusetts arts, cultural, and creative institutions convened by MASSCreative. The Create the Vote Coalition is also asking candidates for governor and state legislative office to fill out an arts questionnaire. You can read Michelle DuBois’ answers to the Create the Vote candidate questionnaire here.
On July 15, the Coalition hosted the historic Gubernatorial Forum on Arts, Culture, and Creativity, the first-ever gubernatorial debate about arts and culture. The Forum was held at The Hanover Theatre in Worcester and attended by 500 artists, cultural leaders, and members of the public. Candidates Don Berwick, Attorney General Martha Coakley, Evan Falchuk, Mark Fisher, Treasurer Steve Grossman, and Jeff McCormick answered questions from moderator Joyce Kulhawik and arts leaders from around the state. A video of the Forum is available here.
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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.
