Massachusetts Artists Leaders Coalition
Artists leaders and artist-run groups addressing policy issues that affect artists in Massachusetts
This afternoon the House complete its budget debated and also voted on the last two amendments MALC was following. The next step in the budget process is for the Senate Ways and Means Committee to release its proposed budget in early to mid May. Continue reading “Final Update on House Budget Debate”
The MA House voted overwhelmingly to restore MCC's funding in thet state budget for the arts, humanities, and sciences. See the roll call vote and more.
As we reported on September 13, the MA House overrode Governor Baker’s funding cuts to the Massachusetts Cultural Council. You may view the roll call vote in the following link:
View the House Roll Call vote here (PDF).
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 14, 2017
Greg Liakos, Communications Director
Mass Cultural Council
(Boston, MA) – Yesterday the Massachusetts House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly to restore funding for the arts, humanities, and sciences through the Mass Cultural Council in the state budget.
Led by House Speaker Robert DeLeo of Winthrop and Ways & Means Committee Chair Jeffrey Sánchez of Boston, the House voted 137-14 to override the Governor’s veto and fund Mass Cultural Council at $14 million for Fiscal Year 2018, level with last year’s state appropriation. Governor Charlie Baker’s veto cut the arts and culture budget by 14 percent to just over $12 million. The Senate now must follow with its own, 2/3-majority vote to secure the override when it returns to formal sessions later this month.
“We’re immensely grateful to the House leadership and all the members who supported the arts, humanities, and sciences with their votes yesterday,” said Anita Walker, Mass Cultural Council Executive Director. “And thanks again to our advocates who joined MASSCreative, Mass Humanities, and the Mass Artists Leaders Coalition to ensure our voices were heard in this long budget debate. Cultural funding is as vital as ever as we seek ways to bring our communities together, understand our place in the world, and build prosperity and opportunity across the Commonwealth.”
Walker also thanked State Senator Adam Hinds of Pittsfield and Representative Cory Atkins of Concord for circulating a letter to their colleagues urging support for the override. The legislators are co-chairs of the Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts, and Cultural Development.
“There are few places in America as rich with culture as Massachusetts,” their letter stated. “From Boston to the Berkshires, from Cape Ann to Cape Cod, our state boasts an array of exceptional cultural organizations, beautiful and distinctive communities, and thousands of talented artists and educators. Mass Cultural Council nurtures this cultural life, so it is imperative that we continue to provide the agency with the necessary resources to continue the great work it does in the Commonwealth.”
MASSCreative will continue to lead the statewide advocacy effort to urge the state Senate to support the override when it reconvenes in formal session. FY18 began July 1.
About the Mass Cultural Council
Mass Cultural Council is a state agency supporting the arts, sciences, and humanities, to improve the quality of life in Massachusetts and its communities. It pursues its mission through a combination of grants, services, and advocacy for nonprofit cultural organizations, schools, communities, and artists. The agency’s total budget for this fiscal year is $15.7 million, which includes a state appropriation and grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and other sources. The Mass Cultural Council also runs the Massachusetts Cultural Facilities Fund in partnership with MassDevelopment.
Please take the “By Artists For Artists” state-wide survey for Massachusetts artists of all disciplines! MALC needs your answers to help us better advocate for our community!
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Last week, the Massachusetts House finished its debate on its FY20 Budget. The next step of the budget process will be the State Senate’s Ways and Means Committee releasing its proposed budget in mid-May. In the House budget debate, MALC was actively following the proposed budget amendments to the House budget which are listed below.
To learn about the state budget process see this link:
https://malegislature.gov/Budget/
Continue reading “FY20 MA House Budget Debate Results”
Today the proposed 2020 House Ways and Means Budget was released. This is the second step in the Commonwealth’s budget process. The first step was the release of the Governor’s budget in January 2019.
Here is a link to the proposed House budget: https://malegislature.gov/Budget/FY2020/HouseWaysMeansBudget/Ways_Means_Final_Budget
The proposed House budget for the Mass Cultural Council, for the most part, seems to echo the funding in the Governor’s proposed budget. It should be noted, however, there is some new language* in the House Budget concerning the MCC’s appropriation. MALC posted the MCC’s press release on the House Budget.
Amendments to the proposed House budget will need to be filed by the end of this week. We will post key amendments to the budget and what you can do to help support them.
MALC follows several line items in the State budget. In this post we will highlight the MCC, MassArt and several others. Part Two will highlight funding for the libraries. Continue reading “MA House Ways & Means Proposed Budget 2020 (Part One)”