Create The Vote
CONNECTING THE CREATIVE COMMUNITY AND CANDIDATES RUNNING FOR PUBLIC OFFICE.
Create the Vote campaigns engage voters with candidates who are running for public office to elevate the ways that arts, culture, and creative expression build inclusive, connected, and more equitable communities. Through our past engagements, we have proven that our unified voices work in demonstrating the electoral power of artists, creative workers, cultural nonprofits, and creative small businesses during elections.
Create the Vote has been at the forefront of driving statewide engagement between the creative community and elected officials through municipal and state-level elections. During its inaugural year in 2013, Create the Vote built a coalition around the City of Boston’s mayoral election. In the past decade, Create the Vote has organized efforts centered around State Representative and State Senator races in districts throughout Massachusetts, in addition to statewide campaigns such as the Lieutenant Governor’s race in 2022.
In 2020, Create the Vote expanded our focus to use art and culture to encourage people to register to vote and participate in the electoral process, educate voters about casting ballots by mail, and increase voter turnout. In 2024, Create the Vote worked with arts and culture leaders to mobilize coalitions around open seats for the 3rd Berkshire, 11th Middlesex, and 12th Middlesex in the Massachusetts House of Representative seats, as well as the Plymouth & Barnstable Massachusetts State Senate seat.
JOIN THE 2025 COALITION
2025 is a critical municipal election year for communities across Massachusetts. Our goal is to partner with as many communities as possible to elevate the profile of artists, creative workers, cultural nonprofits, and creative small businesses, and to demonstrate to candidates how arts, culture, and creative expression build inclusive, connected, and more equitable communities. With so much changing at the federal level, it is crucial to remember that real change starts right here in our communities through state and local elections.
In March 2025, we held an open house to share our goals for engaging with voters and candidates who are running for public office in this year’s municipal elections. Learn more by watching the recording posted below or downloading the presentation.
WATCH THE 2025 CREATE THE VOTE OPEN HOUSE RECORDING:
We are proud to serve as 2025 coalition partners with creative communities in Boston, Newton, and Somerville. If you are a resident or creative worker in Boston, Newton, and Somerville, we want you to join the coalition.
If you are a resident or creative worker in another municipality and want to lead a campaign in your town or city, we want to hear from you!
For questions about Create the Vote or to discuss partnering on an effort in your community, please email our team here.
MORE INFORMATION ABOUT CREATE THE VOTE:
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In 2013, MASSCreative developed Create the Vote, an advocacy campaign to elevate arts and culture in the Boston Mayoral Election. Through the support of the Barr Foundation and partnership with Boston arts stakeholders, the Create the Vote campaign successfully brought the needs of the creative sector front and center for candidates and voters. Through Intimate roundtable discussions, questionnaires and a town hall forum, candidates heard directly from the creative community on pressing needs of the sector. During the town hall forum, Mayor Walsh publicly committed to appointing a Chief of Arts and Culture for the City to his Cabinet.
Each year MASSCreative works with partners to elevate the creative sector during election season. In 2021 we worked on the Boston Mayoral election and in 2022 we prioritized the Statewide Gubernatorial election. In 2024 we will focus on open seats within the State Legislature. The new Create the Vote coalition campaign program will use a similar campaign activity model as before, but place priority on the development of local coalitions who work together long after the election ends for continued shared advocacy work.
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Our democracy depends on free and fair elections, where communities come together to decide who will represent them. Artists, creatives, and cultural organizations are trusted community leaders who have a responsibility to play their part in encouraging voter turnout.
To support voter accessibility, MASSCreative will work with artists, creative workers, and cultural organizations to increase voter registration during this election cycle. Through Let’s Get Registered, MASSCreative will work with partners to run registration drives, provide clarity around voter eligibility and timelines, and support Massachusetts residents with tangible resources to make a voting plan ahead of election day.
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In 2025, cities and towns across Massachusetts will hold municipal elections to decide who will lead and manage our communities.
We are eager to work with passionate advocates to ensure arts, culture and creativity is on the ballot in November.
2025 Create the Vote Coalitions:Join the Boston coalition.
Join the Newton coalition.
Join the Somerville coalition.
Email createthevote@mass-creative.org if you are interested in starting a campaign in your community.
