DOWNTOWN VITALITY ACT INCLUDED IN THE MASS LEADS ACT
Picture features individuals testifying at the public hearing on the Downtown Vitality Act on October 30, 2023.
On Wednesday, November 13, 2024, the six-person economic development bond bill conference committee released their report on An Act relative to strengthening Massachusetts’ economic leadership (H. 5100) or “The Mass Leads Act.” This Act authorizes $3.96 billion in capital programs and policy changes to support businesses, communities, and many sectors - including the creative sector.
Some of the highlights of the Mass Leads Act include:
$400 million for the MassWorks Infrastructure Program to support public infrastructure projects and create jobs
$150 million for library construction projects
$103 million for artificial intelligence in systems across the state
$100 million for infrastructure improvements in rural communities
$21 million for resilience in agriculture and fishing
Ticketing transparency: Requires ticket sellers to clearly disclose the actual ticket price when listing tickets online and bans automated ticket purchasing software, otherwise known as bots.
Project labor agreements: Authorizes public agencies and municipalities to enter into project labor agreements for public works contracts when such an agreement is in the best interest of the public agency or municipality.
Would allow political candidates to use campaign funds for childcare services that occur because of campaign activities.
The conference committee report was approved by the House and Senate on Thursday, November 14th. Gov. Healey signed it into law on Wednesday, November 20, 2024.
A WIN FOR THE DOWNTOWN VITALITY ACT COALITION!
The conference committee report includes a $9.5 million capital spending line-item that creates a new Downtown Vitality Grant within the Executive Office of Economic Development.
At the start of the 2023-2024 legislative session, MASSCreative worked in coalition with the Mass Cultural Council and cross-sector partners, including MassINC and the Metropolitan Area Planning Council, to propose H.228/S.130, An Act to promote downtown vitality. 126 individuals and cultural organizations publicly endorsed the bill, testified in support of this proposal, and met with their elected officials to share with them the ways that this fund would benefit communities.
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Abstraction Music Group LLC
Artpie
Arts League of Lowell
ArtSpace Maynard
Bellforge Arts Center
Blues to Green
Brighton Main Streets
Cabot Performing Arts Center
City of Attleboro
City of North Adams
Creative Collective LLC
Cultural Center of Cape Cod
Cummington Cultural District
Downtown Taunton Foundation
Downtown Worcester Business Improvement District
Fall River Arts and Culture Coalition (FRACC)
Fall River Museum of Contemporary Art
Fall River Redevelopment Authority
Fields Corner Main Street
Four Corners Main Street, Inc.
Gallery X Inc.
Greater Ashmont Main Street
Greater Lawrence Fellowship of the Arts
Holyoke Art Inc.
Hub Theatre Company of Boston
JP Centre/South Main Streets
LTCI
Lynn Main Streets
Mass Cultural Council
MassINC
Metropolitan Area Planning Council
Mothers Institute for Collaboration and Art
Multi-Arts
New Bedford Art Museum
New Bedford Whaling Museum
Playful Engineers
Roxbury Cultural District
Serious Play Theatre Ensemble
Servedwell Hospitality
Sound Museum, Boston
Springfield Business Improvement District
Springfield Central Cultural District
Springfield Cultural Partnership
Technocopia
The Cordial Eye Gallery and Artist Space, INC.
The Dance Complex
Town of Grafton
Town of Reading
Upham's Corner Main Street
Van Gogh's Gear
Viva Fall River
Watefront Historic Area LeaguE, Inc. (WHALE)
Winchester Cultural District
YMCA Southcoast
Your Theatre/Steeple Playhouse
Thanks to this advocacy and the leadership of Sen. John Cronin (D-Lunenburg), this revised version of the Downtown Vitality Act made it into the Senate’s Economic Development Bond Bill. This will serve cities and towns to support the vitality of downtowns and main streets and can be used for technical assistance to develop, sustain, or strengthen cultural districts, business districts, town centers, commercial corridors, or other walkable mixed-use areas. It can also be used for community planning and investment activities that stimulate economic development, expand entrepreneurship, and create jobs in the downtown economy sector and to construct, improve, repair, maintain and protect downtown assets.
Picture from the Downtown Vitality Act press conference at the Co-Creative Center New Bedford on November 9, 2023. Emily Ruddock is the featured speaker here.
This is a big win for the Downtown Vitality Act Coalition! Thank you for your advocacy for this bill throughout this legislative session!
LIVE THEATER TAX CREDIT AND CULTURAL FACILITIES FUNDING
The conference committee also included a live theater tax credit in their report. This will create a new tax credit of up to $7 million annually to support local live theater productions. The credit will support Massachusetts artists that are working towards Broadway or off-Broadway to launch a national tour.
The bill also reauthorizes $50 million for the Cultural Facilities Fund. Managed by the Mass Cultural Council and MassDevelopment, the Cultural Facilities Fund provides major improvement grants to nonprofit cultural organizations across Massachusetts. Since 2006, the Fund has encouraged sound growth, supported important development projects, played a crucial role in the growth of local tourism, created thousands of jobs, and driven millions of dollars in private investment.
Applications are open for the next round of Cultural Facilities Funds. The deadline to apply is December 19, 2024. Visit the Mass Cultural Council’s website for more details.
