TAKE ACTION: ASK YOUR STATE REP. TO CO-SPONSOR AMENDMENTS TO THE HOUSE BUDGET
A person writes at a typewriter in the middle of the street.
Last week, the House Ways and Means Committee released their FY26 Budget and proposed $26,045,152 for the Mass Cultural Council, matching Gov. Healey's proposal in her H.1 Budget. Unfortunately, they did not include a budget amount for the Massachusetts Tourism Trust Fund.
Although this amount falls short of the agency’s request for $28 million in FY26, we recognize that legislators will have more difficult budget decisions to make this year than usual with the broad repeal of federal support. We are grateful that, despite the uncertainty and challenges around this year’s budget, both Gov. Healey and House leadership plan to continue investing in the creative sector at the same level as they did in FY25.
We will continue to advocate for $28 million for the Mass Cultural Council and $17 million for the Massachusetts Tourism Trust Fund when the Senate takes up their budget in May.
SUPPORT THESE AMENDMENTS TO THE HOUSE BUDGET
You can support arts, culture, and creativity in the FY26 House Budget by asking your state representative to co-sponsor these two amendments:
“Tourism Trust Fund” Amendment #880, sponsored by Rep. Sean Garballey. This amendment would ensure that the Massachusetts Tourist Trust Fund would have $1 million towards its operating budget next year.
“Poet Laureate” Amendment #894, sponsored by Rep. Garballey. This amendment would ensure that the state’s new poet laureate would receive a $15,000 honorarium for their work.
We recommend calling your state representative’s office or sending them a personalized email asking for their support. You can find sample call scripts and email templates below:
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Think of how many emails you receive a day and how many you can take action on. But when you get a call and hear directly from someone, that gets your attention. The same thing goes for your state representative and their staff. Below is a script you can use when calling your state representative.
Pro Tips:
1) Legislative offices get a lot of communications every day. Keep your call brief, pleasant, and respectful.
2) Be sure to leave a message if you get a voicemail - staff always checks messages!
3) If you are asked a question but don’t know the answer, that’s okay! Ask for their email, and you can follow up afterward. Be sure to contact Team MASSCreative: we can help you find the answers you need.
Script:
Hello, Rep. X. My name is [NAME] and I am a constituent in your district. I live at [ADDRESS].
I am calling today to urge you to co-sponsor two amendments to the House Budget: Amendment #880 and #894, filed by Rep. Garballey.
Amendment #880 will ensure that the Massachusetts Tourism Trust Fund has the funding it needs to maintain its operating budget.
Amendment #894 would ensure that the state’s new poet laureate receives an honorarium, as they are mandated to in the Mass Leads Act.
These amendments will support a more inclusive and equitable creative sector for Massachusetts.
Other things to include:
Share a sentence about your relationship to the creative sector.
Share a sentence about the role of arts and culture in your community.
Thank them for their time. If you want them to respond, repeat your name, phone number, and email address.
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When your inbox gets full, what emails stand out? The messages from people you know, topics you care about, and emails that are heartfelt and personal. When you write your state representative and their staff, personalized messages stand out. Here’s a template email that you can send - but make it your own!
Subject: Please co-sponsor Amendments #880 and #894 to support creativity
Dear Representative [NAME],
I hope this message finds you well. My name is [NAME], and I live in [CITY/TOWN OR DISTRICT]. I want to thank you for the hard work you do on behalf of our community.
Please consider co-sponsoring two amendments to the House Budget filed by Rep. Garballey: Amendment #880 “Tourism Trust Fund” and Amendment #894 “Poet Laureate.”
Amendment #880 will ensure that the Massachusetts Tourism Trust Fund has funding to maintain their operating budget. Amendment #894 will ensure that the state’s new poet laureate will receive an honorarium, as they are mandated to in the Mass Leads Act.
Next Wednesday, I will be joining MASSCreative and other arts advocates at the State House for Creative Sector Day—a day dedicated to celebrating the vibrancy, impact, and beauty of the creative sector here in Massachusetts.
As you know, the creative sector is essential to our local economy and community well-being. These amendments represent smart, meaningful investments that uplift local voices, generate economic activity, and support jobs throughout the Commonwealth.
Please co-sponsor Amendments #880 and #894. Thank you again for your time and for all that you do for [CITY/TOWN/DISTRICT] and the people of Massachusetts.
Remember that your advocacy is more effective when you invite others to take action with you. Tap three people in your network and ask them to contact their state representative and urge them to co-sponsor Amendments #880 and #894.
If you are not sure who your state representative is, you can look them up using the link below. If your state representative is already co-sponsoring these amendments, be sure to thank them for their support!
