Creative Economy and Workforce
Strengthening Massachusetts’s Creative Economy and Growing our Creative Workforce.
In Massachusetts, the creative sector delivers $27.2 billion in economic value to our economy. Our sector includes non-profit cultural organizations, creative small businesses, artists, creative workers and arts administrators. MASSCreative endorses policy and programmatic solutions that strengthen pathways to creative jobs, grow small creative businesses, and strengthen cultural non-profits.
What are we doing about the creative economy?
MASSCreative supports a strong creative economy by advocating annually for state funding for the Mass Cultural Council and budgetary line items that will benefit the creative sector. In FY25, these efforts resulted in $26.9 million for the Mass Cultural Council’s annual operating and grantmaking budget with $955,000 of that line item earmarked for local cultural projects.
We’re also fighting for the Massachusetts creative economy by organizing support for our 2023-2024 Creative Sector Agenda. These policy priorities are the product of engaging in a statewide listening series in Fall 2022, where MASSCreative gathered feedback from artists, creatives, cultural organizations, advocacy groups, regional planning councils, and changemakers about the policy changes the sector needs to become more equitable, just, and visible.
The Creative Sector Agenda includes five bills to keep artists in their communities, make creative spaces more accessible to people with disabilities, support equity in cultural tourism promotion, and dedicate revenues for cultural districts.
Read more about each of the bills and how to support Massachusetts cultural policies by visiting the MASSCreative Action Network Take Action page.
On November 14th, the House and Senate approved the conference committee’s report on the Mass Leads Act, including the Downtown Vitality Act, live theater tax credit, and reauthorizing $50 million for the Cultural Facilities Fund.
The Healey Administration released their Economic Development Plan on December 12, 2023. Read more for a breakdown of what’s included in the plan and how they intend to prioritize the creative economy.
Since its founding in 2013, MASSCreative has worked with advocates across the Commonwealth to build a stronger, more equitable and inclusive creative sector. From local and state elections to increased public funding for creative and cultural work, our organizing efforts have shifted how Massachusetts values our community
Strengthening Massachusetts’s Creative Economy and Growing our Creative Workforce.
On November 15, 2024, the MASSCreative Action Network (MCAN) hosted an election debrief with community organizing and policy experts to learn how 2024 federal and state-level election results will impact the creative sector in Massachusetts. Watch the recording here.
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.
Check out our 2024 Create the Vote Election Guides to see who is running for US Congress, State Senate, and State House of Representatives in Massachusetts.
On May 7, the Senate Ways and Means Committee announced their plan to fund the Mass Cultural Council at $25.5 million in FY25. Read for more information about the Senate Ways and Means Budget and take action for the Mass Cultural Council and Downtown Vitality Act.
A hearing for The Creative Space Preservation Act is set for Monday September 18 - learn how to join advocacy leaders in supporting this crucial bill.
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.
In May 2024, Daniel Deutsch published a comprehensive cultural blueprint for the Pioneer Valley with recommendations for nurturing the arts ecosystem in Western Massachusetts. Continue reading for Daniel’s findings and report.
During this month's webinar, we focused on key updates and strategies for the creative sector in this crucial final month of the legislative session. Our main topics were the Senate’s Mass Leads Act and the inclusion of the Downtown Vitality Act in their version of the bill.
During this month's webinar, we provided updates on our advocacy around the FY25 Budget Conference Committee and previewed ways that the creative sector can benefit from the anticipated Mass Leads Act (Economic Development Bond Bill).
During this month's webinar, we reviewed the FY25 Senate Ways and Means Budget, talked about Emily's testimony on the Mass Leads Act, and shared about the South Coast creative community's recent success organizing a legislative roundtable.
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.
Read Richeline's blog about attending the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s Annual Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C. and how artists can play a role in strengthening communities and democracy.
Three months into the new year, the Massachusetts creative sector is celebrating significant policy milestones through the Creative Sector Legislative Agenda, Economic Development Bond Bill, and FY25 Budget.
It’s been an eventful and exciting year! In this letter, Emily shares her thoughts on our accomplishments in 2023 and things we’re looking ahead to in 2024.
Meet our 2023-2024 Advocacy and Organizing Fellows!
In November 2023, we held a town hall on the Downtown Vitality Act and the Co-Creative Center New Bedford.
