BOSTON, August 27, 2018—MASSCreative announces today that it has named Emily Ruddock as its new Director of Policy and Government Affairs, where she will advance MASSCreative’s policy platform with government officials, opinion leaders, and advocacy partners. MASSCreative hired Ruddock in 2017 as a program advocate but promoted her in less than a year to direct the organization’s policy and government advocacy efforts. She brings 13 years of experience working in strategic and management positions for non-profit arts organizations, including government service as the first director of the City of Lynn’s Downtown Cultural District. In her role as director of policy and government affairs, Ruddock will continue this work on a broader scale.
“Emily is a skilled communicator and leader who can bring people together to get things done. Her passion for the arts and arts advocacy is palpable,” said Matt Wilson, MASSCreative’s executive director. “MASSCreative has made great gains at the State House and in the broader political realm, advocating for arts and creativity as a path to prosperity and better quality of life in the Commonwealth. But political and policy support for arts, culture, and creativity is never a given. It requires ongoing organizing and advocacy and the continued cultivation of municipal and state leaders. Emily is the perfect person to lead us in this work.”
Before joining MASSCreative, Ruddock was the artistic producer at Merrimack Repertory Theatre (MRT), where she managed the day-to-day operations of the Artistic Department, including all hiring, resource logistics, and budgeting for at least three annual theatrical productions. She also developed and supervised MRT’s first education department-focused effort, strengthening partnerships with local social service organizations and schools.
As director of Lynn’s Downtown Cultural District, Ruddock was highly regarded by city officials and local arts leaders for her leadership in coordinating arts and cultural organizations for neighborhood revitalization and economic development. Ruddock worked with elected city and state officials on a range of projects to promote downtown Lynn and the arts community, including drafting legislation establishing the city’s first Public Art Commission. She also organized and executed free public events featuring local arts and community groups.
Ruddock holds a BA in Critical Social Thought from Mount Holyoke College and a Master’s in Public Administration from the Maxwell School at Syracuse University.
MASSCreative works with artists, cultural councils, arts organizations and the broader creative community to build a Commonwealth where arts and creativity are an expected, recognized, and valued part of everyday life. Working with our coalition of 400 arts and cultural organizations and artists from across the Commonwealth, MASSCreative uses public education and awareness, grassroots organizing, advocacy campaigns, and other civic and political engagement to ensure that arts, culture, and creativity are considered when important policy and political decisions get made at the state and local level.
