PAST ACTION: SIGN THE CREATIVE SECTOR’S LETTER TO THE FY25 BUDGET CONFERENCE COMMITTEE
THIS ACTION HAS ENDED. CONTINUE READING FOR AN ARCHIVE OF THE CALL TO ADVOCATE.
The Senate and House recently appointed members to the FY25 Budget Conference Committee, the next step in the months-long budgeting process. The Conference Committee is charged with negotiating the differences between the House and Senate versions of the budget.
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Senator Michael Rodrigues
Chair of the Senate Ways and Means CommitteeSenator Cindy Friedman
Vice Chair of the Senate Ways and Means CommitteeSenator Patrick O’Connor
Ranking Minority Member of the Senate Ways and Means Committee -
Representative Aaron Michlewitz
Chair of the House Ways and Means CommitteeRepresentative Ann Margaret Ferrante
Vice Chair of the House Ways and Means CommitteeRepresentative Todd Smola
Ranking Minority Member of the House Ways and Means Committee
This year, the House and Senate will reconcile the differences between their amounts to the Mass Cultural Council's line item (0640-0300):
The House included $26,750,000 ($25.9 million for Mass Cultural Council grants and operations and $855,000 for earmarks for specific cultural organizations and programs).
The Senate included $25,646,197 ($25.5 million for Mass Cultural Council grants and operations and $100,00 for earmarks for specific cultural organizations and programs).
TAKE ACTION TODAY
The MASSCreative Action Network is collecting signatures from individuals, cultural organizations, and creative businesses to include in a letter urging the Conference Committee to retain the House’s $25.7 million line item for the Mass Cultural Council.
As part of their process, the Conference Committee will consider requests from their colleagues and constituents for what to include in the final version of the budget that the Legislature will send to Governor Healey for signature.
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Dear Chair Michlewitz, Chair Rodrigues, and members of the FY25 Budget Conference Committee:
Thank you for your leadership and service to the people of the Commonwealth. As artists, creative workers, cultural leaders, and arts supporters, we are especially thankful for the increased investment to the Mass Cultural Council‘s annual line item (0640-0300). This increased public investment, through transparent grant programs, reduces barriers to access and increases reach to ensure everyone in the Commonwealth receives the benefits associated with creative expression and cultural experiences.
In Massachusetts, the creative sector is a reliable economic sector that accounts for over 4% of employment in the state and adds $28.6 billion in value, which is more than transportation or construction. Creative events and cultural celebrations - 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 exercise the creative thinking skills and social and emotional learning necessary to become resilient, innovative, and empathic leaders in the future. The creative sector is integral to Massachusetts' future success and competitiveness.
The House Budget provides the Mass Cultural Council with an operating budget of $25,895,000, while the Senate Budget adopted a slightly lower operating budget of $25,546,197. During the Senate budget debate, more than half of the chamber membership, 21 Senators or 52.5%, indicated their support for increasing the agency’s appropriation by co-sponsoring Amendment #171. This amendment, filed by the Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development’s Senate Chair Paul Mark, proposed increasing the Mass Cultural Council’s line item in the Senate Budget to match the higher House figure. While Amendment #171 was not adopted, we hope the support of the House of Representatives and a majority of the Senate for this level of funding for arts and culture will help you in your decision-making. We urge you to retain the House figure in the FY25 Conference Budget and fund Mass Cultural Council operations at $25,895,000.
Additionally, we note that the final House Budget includes eighteen earmarks supporting local cultural projects and initiatives, totaling $855,000, while the final Senate Budget includes two earmarks totaling $100,000. As such, we respectfully request that all earmarks retained in 0640-0300 are funded by adding to the account’s bottom line in the FY25 Conference Budget.
As artists, cultural leaders, creative workers, and supporters, we thank you for your consideration, leadership, and service to the residents of the Commonwealth.
We need to ensure our sector’s voices are heard during this process. Please sign our request letter to the Conference Committee by Wednesday, June 12th at 5 PM.
Sign as an Individual
Sign on behalf of a Organization or Business
