YOUTH & ARTS
Ensuring that every child, regardless of zip code has accessible arts, education and creative youth development experiences.
The arts transform lives and we know that when we invest high-quality, robust arts education for youth, we are investing in a more resilient, empathic, connected, and innovative future generation of leaders.
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.
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.
We asked Jessica O’Hearn to share why she feels it’s important to link local organizing efforts to statewide arts advocacy initiatives.
We invited the Massachusetts Health Connector to share information about open enrollment and this year’s changes to plans. Open enrollment ends January 23, 2026.
We asked Rich Chwastiak to share with us how completing the Advocacy & Organizing Fellowship transformed his community organizing.
We asked Hendrick Hernandez-Resto to share with us how getting involved with Creative Sector Day has changed how he thinks about arts activism.
We asked Paige Roehrig and Amor Díaz-Campos to share with us how they got involved with MASSCreative and how our partnerships have supported their advocacy.
Understanding the public hearing process and how you can participate will make you a more effective advocate. We have outlines and guides to get you started.
Congratulations to our 2024-2025 Advocacy & Organizing Fellowship graduates.
Advocates testify in support of the Creative Space Act and PLACE Act.
Advocates testify in support of the ACE Act: H.224/S.160
2025 Somerville mayoral candidates participate in a Somerville Mayoral Forum on Arts & Culture.
2025 Boston mayoral candidates participate in a Boston Mayoral Forum on Arts & Culture.
