DIYA – MA Knowing the Political Players

DIYA – MA Knowing the Political Players- Part One

Artists of all disciplines can (and should) influence legislation and regulations that impact the artists community and the creative economy. Beneath the golden dome of the Massachusetts State House there are thousands of bills floating around (one of which, the state budget, allocates north of $30 billion). There are constant public policy discussions, open democratic debate, and yes, even the occasional backroom deal.

All artists (visual artists, writers, poets, storytellers, dancers, musicians, moving image makers, performers, and any and all people that work at creative expression to convey cultural ideas) need to make their voices heard throughout the halls of power.

Having an impact is easier than you might think and it doesn’t require securing a high-priced lobbyist. You can do it yourself.

Find Your Elected Officials

The first step is to familiarize yourself with the players on the political stage. Shockingly, many residents do not know who their elected officials are. People confuse their United States Representative for their State Representative, their state senator for their U.S Senator (MA has two U.S. Senators), their state legislators for their municipal officials, and their local town selectmen or city councilors for the people who craft state monetary policy.

In addition to the mystery surrounding politics, many people are intimidated by elected officials and their staffers. You don’t have to be. The politicians work for you. Sometimes they forget this. It’s good to remind them. But first you need to know who they are.

To learn who represents you simply visit the Secretary of State’s website and punch your home address into the Elections and Voting search engine. You’ll be given a list of the people who represent you at the federal and state level. To learn who your local officials are, visit your city or town’s website.

After you find out who represents you and you want to find out where they stand on issues, what they voted for or against, and who gave them money- MALC recommends Project Vote Smart. This non-profit, non-partisan organization compiles information on all the politicians in the country. Project Vote Smart will provide you with a more comprehensive view of your Federal elected officials. However, its lists of state elected officials may not be as up to date as the Secretary of State’s website.

Once you know the names of your United States Senators, United States Representative, State Senator, State Representative, and local selectmen or councilors (and possibly mayor) you are in a much better position to navigate the halls of power.

Connect With The Artists Community

Now you need to connect yourself to the other side of the equation: those kindred spirits working to empower the artists community. Again, it’s the very essence of simplicity.

With a few clicks you can subscribe to the free Artists Under the Dome (AUD) listserv. Please take time to view the ArtistsUndertheDome.org website-please note it focuses on Massachusetts/State Issues/Legislation). One page worth bookmarking is the legislation page. We also recommend subscribing to the MALC Blog. This will keep you in the loop about the work of and the advocacy efforts of the Massachusetts Artists Leaders Coalition (MALC). You can also like MALC on Facebook. MALC follows both state and federal legislation and regulations that impact the artists community and the creative economy. We also keep an eye on international issues and local issues in Massachusetts that impact our sectors. Our Blog will keep you informed!

MALC works closely with many of the discipline specific artists run unions/advocacy groups and trade organizations based in Massachusetts. You might also want to take the time to see what these groups are advocating for: the Boston Chapter of the National Writer’s Union, SAG/AFTRA New England, the Boston Musicians’ Association, the Mass Production Coalition (the film sector), Arts/Learning (focuses on arts education issues), to name a few.

For those of you feeling especially ambitious, becoming a MALC member is easy (and amazingly fun, and also great for your resume). Basic membership entails a low time commitment and involves supporting MALC initiatives by making phone calls and sending emails (to your elected officials whose names you now know). Both AUD and MALC are all-volunteer efforts, proving you don’t need money to have an impact on Beacon Hill.

Stay tuned for more advocacy tips from your friends at MALC!

Written by John Weeks and Kathleen Bitetti