Advocacy Works! Senate Increases MCC Funding by $1 Million

Thanks to everyone who reached out to your Senators during this important time. Your voice really mattered!

Stay tuned, though. The job is not complete but the current good news is most welcome!

May 23, 2014

The state Senate approved a budget late yesterday that would increase annual funding for the arts, humanities, and sciences through the Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC) by $1 million.

The Senate fiscal year 2015 budget plan allocates $12 million for MCC, an increase of roughly eight percent from its current state appropriation. The Senate must now reconcile its budget proposal with that of the House, which recommended cutting MCC funding to $9.6 million. House and Senate leaders will select members of a conference committee that will work out those differences before bringing a final plan back to their respective chambers, then back to the Governor for his approval. This process should be completed before the new fiscal year begins July 1.

The Senate vote came after a coalition including MCC, MASSCreative, Mass Humanities, Mass Artists Leaders Coalition, with advocates across the state, urged legislators to reverse proposed cuts to cultural funding in earlier versions of the state budget. MCC originally sought $16 million for next year, but House and Senate leaders said such an increase was unrealistic given other demands for state funding.

“This is another step forward in our ongoing effort to reverse a decade of cuts to state support for the arts, humanities, and sciences,” said MCC Executive Director Anita Walker. “Our elected leaders have once again responded to a clear and united
call to restore funding to a cultural sector that contributes so much to our quality of life in Massachusetts.”

Walker thanked Sen. Kathleen O’Connor Ives of Newburyport, Co-Chair of the Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts, and Cultural Development, and her 25 Senate colleagues who cosponsored her amendment to restore MCC funding. She also thanked the many advocates who weighed in on behalf of MCC and its constituents, and urged them to stay engaged through the final stages of the budget process.

See MCC’s Advocacy Action Center for details on the budget process and for the latest data on the nonprofit cultural sector’s contributions to the Massachusetts economy and quality of life.

Gregory Liakos
MCC Communications Director

About the Massachusetts Cultural Council

The Massachusetts Cultural Council is a state agency that promotes excellence,
access, education, and diversity in the arts, humanities, and sciences, to improve the quality of life for all Massachusetts residents and contribute to the vitality of our communities. MCC pursues this mission through grants, services, and advocacy for nonprofit cultural organizations, schools, communities, and artists. MCC’s current state appropriation is just over $11 million.