SENATE WAYS AND MEANS PROPOSES $25.5M FOR MASS CULTURAL COUNCIL IN FY25
On May 7th, the Senate Ways and Means Committee released its proposed FY25 Budget. The $57.9 billion state spending plan includes investments in education, health care, municipalities, and community-building efforts, including arts and culture.
The Senate Ways and Means Budget recommends $25.5 million in spending for the creative sector through the Mass Cultural Council’s line item (0640-0300). $25.5 million matches the Governor’s recommendation in the FY25 Budget she filed in January. However, it is less than the House’s final budget of $26,750,000 ($25.9 million for Mass Cultural Council grants and operations and $855,000 for earmarks for specific cultural organizations and programs). The House’s version is a 3.58% increase for our state’s arts agency.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
Like the House process, the Senate will now debate its budget. Senators have filed over 1,000 amendments for specific spending priorities, increases to line items, and other policy changes. Next week, the Senate will vote on these amendments and a final version of its budget.
ADVOCATING FOR A STRONG CREATIVE SECTOR IN MA
In partnership with the Mass Cultural Council, Sen. Paul Mark filed Amendment #171 to increase the Senate Budget line item for the Mass Cultural Council to $26,750,00 - matching the House version. Sen. Mark serves as the Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development and we are deeply thankful for his continued leadership and support for increased public spending for our creative community.
Additionally, Sen. John Cronin filed Amendment #322, which would add the Downtown Vitality Act to the FY25 Budget. The Downtown Vitality Act is part of the Creative Sector Agenda and would create a fund to support Cultural Districts, Business Improvement Districts, and Main Street Associations. MASSCreative and our partners at Mass Cultural Council, MassINC, and Metropolitan Area Planning Council are eager to see the Downtown Vitality Act passed this session.
WE URGE ADVOCATES TO CONTACT THEIR STATE SENATORS AND ASK THEM TO CO-SPONSOR AMENDMENT #171 AND AMENDMENT #322.
Visit our Take Action page for more resources to assist you in your advocacy.
Recent developments at the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) are deeply troubling as hundreds of grants for local projects have been cancelled, and massive staff reductions raise serious doubtsthat the agency can meet its statutory mandates.
We need advocates to ask Congress to sustain and protect both funding and staffing for the National Endowment for the Arts.
On Friday, May 2, 2025, the National Endowment for the Arts sent notices to recipients cancelling or withdrawing previously awarded grants. The Connecticut Arts Alliance, Cultural Alliance of Maine, and MASSCreative are working in partnership to collect data to help our elected officials and the general public understand the impact these cuts will have on communities in New England.
If you received a letter withdrawing or cancelling your NEA grant, please take this brief impact survey.
Join a coalition of artists, creatives, arts supporters, and change-makers to educate candidates and voters on the importance of a strong and inclusive creative community in Boston.
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Help get the vote out and play your part for a stronger democracy.
Check out our 2024 Create the Vote General Election Guides to see who is running for US Congress, State Senate, and State House of Representatives in Massachusetts.
On Friday, May 2, 2025, the Trump Administration continued its efforts to dismantle public investments and access to arts and culture through the cancellation of already approved arts project grants and by proposing the elimination of the National Endowment for the Arts, National Endowment for the Humanities, the Institute for Museum and Library Services, and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting in their FY26 Budget proposal.
Join us for this year’s statewide Creative Sector Summit on June 6th at the Northampton Center for the Arts. The theme of this year’s Summit is Meeting the Moment: Creative Advocacy & Cultural Organizing for Stronger Communities.
Announcing Giselle Byrd, Executive Director of The Theater Offensive, as our keynote speaker for this year’s Creative Sector Summit.
The Advocacy 301: Do’s and Don’ts training is designed to help participants understand how they can legally engage in advocacy and lobbying to assume stronger roles in civic life.
On April 16th, we welcomed Representative Sean Garballey (D-Arlington), the new House Chair of the Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development to our Artivist Town Hall. Rep. Garballey shared about his role within the committee, how committee members review and consider bills, and what advocates ought to know to advance their policy issues.
The Advocacy 201 training builds on the foundation of the Advocacy 101 session. In Advocacy 201, we will prepare you to take the lead in organizing your networks and communities. We’ll cover how to turn your network into an advocacy powerhouse, coordinate advocacy meetings with your elected officials, and use your social media platforms to help folks take action on the things you care about most.
On April 2nd, we welcomed Senator Paul Mark (D-Becket), the returning Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development to our Artivist Town Hall. Sen. Mark shared about his role within the committee, how committee members review and consider bills, and what advocates ought to know to advance their policy issues.
Everyone can (and should!) be an advocate. To co-create an arts and culture sector that is more equitable and resilient, we need more people to see themselves as arts advocates and take action. The Advocacy 101 training is about equipping you with the foundational skills you need to advocate for the issues and communities that matter the most to you. This training is designed to prepare you to make the most of Creative Sector Advocacy Week 2025.
In March, we welcomed Kendra Patterson and Jessica Troe from the Massachusetts Budget & Policy Center for a presentation on the state's annual budgeting process and where to direct your advocacy.
Maintaining and increasing public investment in the creative community requires constant and broad grassroots activism throughout the annual budget process.
On Monday, January 27th, the acting director of the Office of Management and Budget sent a memo to all federal agencies ordering the immediate freeze of all federal grants, loans, and other financial assistance funds. Learn more about what this means and what you can do.
In January, we welcomed organizers from the Berkshire/Columbia Counties Pay Equity Coalition to discuss their work to bridge wage disparities for entry—and mid-level employees at cultural organizations in Berkshire and Columbia Counties.
In December, we welcomed staff from the Massachusetts Health Connector to discuss open enrollment and navigating Massachusetts' health insurance marketplace. Open enrollment ends on January 23, 2025.
MASSCreative’s Artivist Town Hall is a monthly webinar that connects artists and creatives with resources, training, and expert insights to support them in their creative practices and activism. This month, we welcomed Joyce Linehan and Erin O’Brien for a panel discussion about how public and cultural policies are written, how we create momentum to carry legislation, and how policies impact creative communities.
On July 24th Gov. Healey signed H.4890, An Act relative to salary range transparency into law. At MASSCreative, we support and celebrate this significant legislative achievement as a crucial step towards fostering equity, diversity, and transparency in the arts and culture sector.
Emily Ruddock, MASSCreative’s executive director, shares updates about some of our grassroots organizing and legislative achievements in 2024 and a glimpse of what we are preparing for 2025.
On Friday, November 22, 2024, MASSCreative welcomed 11 individuals into the 2024-2025 Advocacy & Organizing Fellowship during an in-person orientation at the Worcester Public Library.
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Meet our 2023-2024 Advocacy and Organizing Fellows!
