TAKE ACTION: ENDORSE THE CREATIVE SPACE ACT
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MASSACHUSETTS IS THE 3RD MOST ARTS-VIBRANT STATE IN THE NATION. BUT WE ARE DISPLACING OUR ARTISTS.
Massachusetts is home to vast artistic talent and our communities benefit from our vibrant creative sector. In 2024, Massachusetts was recognized for the second consecutive year as the 3rd most arts-vibrant state in the nation. The creative economy in Massachusetts contributes $28.6 billion in revenue, 4.1% of the Commonwealth’s economy, and accounts for 135,000 jobs.
Arts and culture animate our downtowns, communicate our stories, and cultivate belonging. However, we are losing arts and cultural production spaces at an alarming rate. In the last ten years, we lost more than 100,000 square feet of cultural production space, studios, rehearsal space, and live music venues just in Boston, Cambridge, and Somerville. In the final months of 2024, more than 20 artists were displaced from Easthampton’s Cottage Street Studios and others were impacted by the closure of Mill No. 5 in Lowell.
We can’t afford to lose more creatives and maker spaces in Massachusetts. The Creative Space Act is a fiscally neutral, statewide policy proposal to keep artists in our communities, prevent further loss of creative maker spaces, and lay the groundwork for future production and exhibition spaces.
WHAT THE CREATIVE SPACE ACT WOULD DO.
The Creative Space Act uses the Affordable Housing Trust Fund model to address this problem. The Act establishes “creative space” and “presentation space” land restrictions to protect and develop new creative production and exhibition spaces in Massachusetts. These definitions encompass spaces that are primarily used for the creation, practice, presentation, and exhibition of art, culture and creative expression. This would include spaces that are primarily used for activities such as sketching, design, prototyping, writing, rehearsing, composing, and recording, as well as developing, expanding, and maintaining skills and competencies that support creativity.
The Creative Space Act also creates the option for municipalities to establish their own Municipal Creative Space Trust Funds to acquire, purchase, maintain, and hold onto creative maker space assets. The Trust Fund would be administered by a 5-person board of trustees, per municipality, and would include representation from members of the local creative community.
ENDORSE THE CREATIVE SPACE ACT AND JOIN THE COALITION
The MASSCreative Action Network is building a coalition of artists, cultural organizations, creative businesses, and cross-sector allies to advocate for this necessary bill. We know that united advocacy works and we invite you to join our coalition today.
By endorsing the Creative Space Act, you are sending a public message to your community and elected officials that you believe in taking action against cultural displacement. The more endorsers we have, the stronger our signal is to legislators that this bill has broad, statewide support. You can sign on as an individual, cultural organization, or both!
Question: Can my 501(c)(3) nonprofit endorse legislation without jeopardizing our tax-exempt status?
Answer: Yes! Check out our guide for nonprofits to learn more.
As an endorser, we will ask you to support the Creative Space Act in the following ways:
Endorsers give the MASSCreative Action Network permission to include their name on our website, in public testimony, and with legislators.
We encourage endorsers to testify in support of the bill at public committee hearings and submit written testimony in support of the legislation.
Work to engage more state and local lawmakers to support the bill through email, phone calls, and other outreach.
Share news, calls to action, and other advocacy efforts via social media and communication platforms.
Share your feedback on ways to strengthen the legislation.
Complete the individual or organization endorsement forms below to join the coalition today.
ENDORSE AS AN INDIVIDUAL:
ENDORSE AS AN ORGANIZATION:
