FY24 Senate budget updates
BOSTON (6/7/23) - On May 25, 2023, the Senate passed its FY24 Budget. Totaling $55.9 billion, the Senate FY24 Budget includes $25 million for the Mass Cultural Council line item (0640-0300). This allocation for the Mass Cultural Council matches commitments also made by Gov. Healey and the House to increase public funding for the agency by 11% over their existing operating budget.
Read a full copy of the Senate Budget here.
Data released by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis in March showed that the Massachusetts creative sector was a $27.2B industry in 2021, representing 4.2% of the Commonwealth’s GDP and 135,181 jobs statewide.
We know that our creative sector is critical to the health and resiliency of the Massachusetts economy. Thank you for making your voices heard and encouraging Gov. Healey, the House, and the Senate to invest $25M in the Mass Cultural Council line item in FY24!
THANK YOU SENATE LEADERSHIP!
Thank you Senate President Spilka, Chair Rodrigues, and Chair Mark for recommitting your support for the Massachusetts creative sector this budget cycle. Thanks to these investments, we are progressing towards our long-term goal of securing $5 per capita for the creative economy in the state budget.
See the letter advocates sent thanking the Senate for $25M for a #CreativeMA.
WHAT’S NEXT?
The House and Senate Budgets are now being negotiated by a Conference Committee of three representatives and three senators to reconcile the differences between each proposal. The Conference Committee is expected to complete their negotiations and present a final budget to the House and Senate for their approval before the end of the fiscal year on June 30th, although negotiators often work past that deadline.
After the House and Senate send their Conference Committee report to Gov. Healey for enactment, she will have 10 days to review the budget and take action to either approve or veto it. The Governor can approve or veto the entire budget, veto or reduce specific line items, veto outside sections or submit changes as an amendment to the budget for further consideration by the Legislature.
You can count on MASSCreative to send you updates once the Conference Committee releases their report. Thank you for using your voices to make this an historic FY24 Budget for the creative sector!
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.
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.
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.
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.
There is a lot of misinformation on what a nonprofit can and cannot do when it comes to advocating for its interests and the needs of the communities they serve. Check out our Nonprofits and Advocacy Resource on how your organization effectively and confidently advocate for a more equitable and inclusive creative sector of all residents in the Commonwealth.
A recent piece of legislation provides nonprofit organizations more flexibility for governance and board activities.
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.
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!
