PAST ACTION: FY24 Budget Letter to Leadership
On March 1, the Healey Driscoll Administration released its inaugural state budget proposal which included $25 million for arts, culture, and creativity. This is a historic milestone: it is the largest amount ever recommended by a Massachusetts Governor.
The FY24 budget process now moves to the legislature, first in the House and then in the Senate. On March 30, MASSCreative submitted a letter to Speaker Marinao, Senate President Spilka, Chair Michlewitz and Chair Rodrigues, signed by nearly 700 members of the creative sector expressing our support for $25 million in FY24. You can read a copy of our letter below:
Dear Speaker Mariano, Senate President Spilka, Chair Michlewitz, and Chair Rodrigues:
Thank you for your leadership and service to the people of the Commonwealth and your continued support for the Massachusetts creative sector. We write to you today in support of increased investments for the arts and cultural community in the Fiscal Year 2024 budget.
Over the last ten years, you and your colleagues have steadily increased the Mass Cultural Council’s line item – the most significant annual state investment in the creative sector. We greatly appreciate these increases, especially last year’s allocation of $22.3M or $3.28 per resident, a record high since 2013. We know you have difficult choices when developing annual spending plans. Investing in a proven economic driver like the creative sector is a sound decision, given that the creative sector accounts for close to 4% of employment in the state and adds $23.7 billion in economic value.
We were encouraged to see Governor Healey join your efforts for increased public funding for the arts, culture, and creativity when she included $25 million for the Mass Cultural Council in H.1. This would result in an 11% increase for the Mass Cultural Council’s grant programs and operations from last year and a significant step towards our multi-year goal of $5 per capita.
As you continue to work with your staffs and colleagues to prepare the House and Senate budgets, we wish to share our support for Governor Healey’s proposed $25 million in FY24 for the Mass Cultural Council’s operations and grant programs.
Massachusetts' creative and cultural economy has a powerful impact on our communities in myriad ways. The US Bureau of Economic Analysis rates the economic value of arts and cultural production in Massachusetts at $23.7 billion, more than retail and construction. Creative expression and cultural experiences - powered by the creative workforce - strengthen community bonds and pride of place. Young people, who have access to arts education in the classroom or through creative youth development programs, develop the creative thinking skills and social and emotional learning necessary to become resilient, innovative, and empathic leaders in the future. In a recent survey, most Massachusetts residents (65%) rated arts and cultural organizations as highly important. This was especially true for individuals with income below $50,000 (72%), who are more likely to seek out opportunities to process their emotions and heal or grieve through the arts. The Creative Sector is integral to Massachusetts' future success and achieving your vision for the Commonwealth.
Given the outsized impact that the creative sector has on the daily lives of almost every resident of the Commonwealth, we are eager to see our value reflected in the FY24 state budget and beyond. By reaching $5 per resident, Massachusetts can ensure that the benefits of a thriving creative sector, including social cohesion, economic vitality, and community development, are felt by everyone. Allocating $25 million in FY24 for the Mass Cultural Council’s operations and grant programs is a vital next step.
As artists, cultural leaders, creative workers, and supporters, we thank you for your consideration, leadership, and service to the residents of the Commonwealth.
Sincerely,
693 Members of the Creative and Cultural Community
(110 Cultural Nonprofits and Creative Businesses; 583 Individuals)