THE CREATIVE SECTOR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA
Realizing a more equitable and inclusive creative sector through policy change
In order to achieve MASSCreative’s Policy Priorities, the MASSCreative Action Network is working with legislative champions on the following bills:
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Sponsored by Rep. Dan Cahill and Sen. Liz Miranda
The creative space preservation bill would create a defined property restriction for creative maker space and performance or exhibition space. It would also allow cities and towns to establish trust funds to hold assets and property for the creation and preservation of creative spaces, giving them more tools to keep artists in their communities.
The Creative Space Preservation Act is endorsed by A.P.E. (Available Potential Enterprises), Anderson Porter Design, Art for All, ArtsWorcester, Boston Art Dealers Association, Boston Philharmonic Orchestra, Brockton Garden Club, Brookline Arts Center, Cahoon Museum of American Art, Cambridge Arts Council, Cape Ann Art Haven, Cayce Lee Photography, Concord Conservatory of Music, Coolidge Corner Community Chorus, Creative Collective LLC, Creative Haverhill, Cultural Center of Cape Cod Inc., finecreationsjewelry, Friends of Veasey Park, Grass Pillow, Holyoke Art Inc., Jean Appolon Expressions, K2 Coaching, Lanes Coven Theater Co., Lynn Museum/LynnArts, Manship Artists Residency, Metropolitan Area Planning Council, Margaret Moody Puppets, New England Foundation for the Arts, Northampton Community Arts Trust, Pentucket Arts Foundation, Playful Engineers, Provincetown Art Association and Museum, Rockport Music, Sarasa Ensemble, Savvy's Sea Glass, Short Productions, Southeastern Massachusetts Arts Collaborative, Suzuki School of Newton, teXtmoVes collaborative, The PEG Center for Art and Activism, Unbound Visual Arts, Waterfall Productions, and Wrentham Cultural Council.
The Creative Space Preservation Act received a favorable report from the Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development and will advance to the next stage of the legislative process.
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Sponsored by Rep. Pat Duffy and Sen. Jake Oliveira
This bill would establish a grant program within the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism to support tourism marketing and promotional expenses for arts and cultural organizations. The fund would prioritize arts and cultural organizations and events that seek to amplify the stories of historically marginalized or underrepresented cultures. By increasing local and regional tourism to more cultural diverse spaces and events, Massachusetts can support economic vitality for everyone.
The Cultural Equity in Tourism bill is endorsed by ArtsBoston, Boston Art Review, Cahoon Museum of American Art, Clark Ave Productions, Double Edge Theatre, Fall River Arts and Culture Coalition (FRACC), Firehouse Center for the Arts, Global Arts Live, Holyoke Civic Symphony, In the Spotlight Inc., Jacob's Pillow, John F. Kennedy Hyannis Museum, Lynn Museum/LynnArts, Metropolitan Area Planning Council, Mass Humanities, Montserrat College of Art, New Bedford Historical Society, New Bedford Whaling Museum, Open Pixel Studios LLC, Pixel Artists Design, The Cordial Eye Gallery and Artist Space Inc., The Flavor Continues, Unbound Visual Arts, Victory Theatre, and West Medford Community Center Inc.
This bill received a study order and will not advance this session.
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Sponsored by Rep. Dan Donahue and Sen. Paul Mark
The Accessibility in the Creative Economy (ACE) Fund would provide grants to organizations focused on the arts, culture, humanities, and interpretive sciences to remove barriers encountered by people with disabilities.
The ACE Act is endorsed by Open Door Arts, Abilities Dance Boston, Community Access to the Arts (CATA), New England Foundation for the Arts, Mass Humanities, Berkshire Pulse Center for the Creative Arts, Boston Dance Alliance, Bright Lights Cinema at Emerson College, Brockton Garden Club, Community Art Center Inc., Community Arts Center Inc., Coolidge Corner Theatre Foundation, Cotuit Center for the Arts, Dance in the Schools, Holyoke Civic Symphony, Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival, LightHouse Holyoke, Mother Brook Arts and Community Center, Noopur Nritya Academy, Northampton Center for the Arts, Northampton Community Arts Trust, Parrish Relics, PlayZoomers Inc., Pop Up Art School, Provincetown Art Association and Museum, Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy, Shelter Music Boston, Snow Farm - The New England Craft Program, The Center for Independent Documentary Inc., and The Flavor Continues.
The ACE Act received a favorable report from the Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities and will advance to the next stage of the legislative process.
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Sponsored by Rep. Mary Keefe, Rep. Steve Ultrino, Sen. Paul Mark, and Sen. Robyn Kennedy
The Program for Local Art and Community Engagement (PLACE) would allocate a percentage of construction costs on any Commonwealth-owned property and public funding granted to new construction projects exceeding $200K for a public art fund. The fund would be used to create and maintain public art in Massachusetts and would codify the process for commissioning public art, making it easier for cities and towns to engage their residents in developing relevant and inclusive public art for all.
The PLACE Act is endorsed by Asian Community Development Corporation, Authentic Caribbean Foundation Inc., Beacon Gallery, Bellforge Arts Center, Boston Art Review, BostonAPP/Lab, Cahoon Museum of American Art, Chaos Bookery, City of Lowell, Creative Collective LLC, Creative Haverhill, Cultural Center of Cape Cod Inc., Embrace Boston, Grass Pillow, HarborArts, Holyoke Art Inc., Lynn Museum/LynnArts, Metropolitan Area Planning Council, Mudflat Pottery School Inc., New England Foundation for the Arts, New Art Center, Now and There, Rockport Art Association and Museum, Tzedeck.com, West Medford Community Center Inc., Winchester Cultural District, and Worcester Center for Crafts.
The PLACE Act received a favorable report from the Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development and will advance to the next stage of the legislative process.
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Sponsored by Rep. Tony Cabral and Sen. John Cronin
This would establish the Downtown Vitality Fund and allocate 5% of receipts from online sales originating in Massachusetts to support staffing and operations of business improvement districts, main street associations, cultural districts and parking benefit districts in Gateway Cities and other low-income communities.
The Downtown Vitality Act is endorsed by Abstraction Music Group LLC, Arts League of Lowell, Bellforge Arts Center, Blues to Green, Cabot Performing Arts Center, Creative Collective LLC, Cultural Center of Cape Cod, Inc., Downtown Taunton Foundation, Downtown Worcester Business Improvement, Fall River Arts and Culture Coalition, Greater Lawrence Fellowship of the Arts, Holyoke Art Inc., Hub Theatre Company of Boston, LTCI, Mass Cultural Council, Metropolitan Area Planning Council, MassINC, MultiArts, New Bedford Art Museum, New Bedford Whaling Museum, Playful Engineers, Serious Play Theatre Ensemble, Servedwell Hospitality, Springfield Cultural Partnership, Springfield Business Improvement District, Tzedeck.com, Van Gogh's Gear, Waterfront Historic Area League Inc. (WHALE), YMCA South Coast, and Your Theatre/Steeple Playhouse.
The Senate Bill received a favorable report from the Joint Committee on Community Development and Small Businesses and will advance to the next stage of the legislative process.