Get Your Vote On! MALC’s Analysis of Gubernatorial Candidate Martha Coakley’s Campaign/Policy Platforms
As part of MALC’s Get Your Vote On! blog series, we are taking the time to look closely at the campaign platforms of four of the five candidates running for governor*. (MALC did not reach out to the Lively/Saunders Campaign.)
Members of the MALC Steering Committee met with these four candidates for Governor earlier this year and shared our policy vision** for our sector with them. We urge everyone in our community to take the time to become familiar with the candidates’ platforms, then vote in the November 4th General elections.
Your vote really matters on this very tight governor’s race!
(To find out where to vote: http://www.wheredoivotema.com/bal/myelectioninfo.aspx)
Today we’re analyzing Candidate Martha Coakley’s arts policy platform:
Candidate info:
Martha Coakley (Democrat)
Campaign Website: http://www.marthacoakley.com/
Candidate Coakley’s guest blog for MALC: http://wp.me/p2W9Iu-12A
Running Mate: Lt. Governor Candidate: Steve Kerrigan (Democrat)
Answered Lt. Governor MALC questionnaire (PDF): http://www.artistsunderthedome.org/Kerrigan.pdf
Campaign website: http://www.stevekerrigan.org/
1. Does the candidate have a specific policy/issues platform for our sector?
Yes. Candidate Coakley does have a comprehensive and strong platform for our sector and it was unveiled on Friday, Oct 24 via a press release. It published in her Updates section and at the time of this post (Oct. 30, 11am) and has yet to be posted in the Issues section of her website. It can be viewed in full via this link: http://www.marthacoakley.com/Campaign-Updates/details/2014-10-marthas-plan-to-support-the-arts—-because-creative
Her detailed plan embraces many of the policy initiatives that are found in MALC’s Governor’s Policy Challenge that asks the next governor to be a champion for our sector, (http://wp.me/p2W9Iu-Ot). The platform includes the full integration of our sector across all other sectors, protecting artists’ intellectual property and fair trade principles/fair labor standards, embraces STEAM, supports and expands the Cultural Facilities Fund, and dramatically increases the Massachusetts Cultural Council’s budget.
It also addresses MALC’s policy recommendation, highlight the arts, culture, and the creative sector in all tourism promotion. We would like to see all candidates for governor commit to directing all tourism promotion to include the appeal of our artists’ community and arts community in all its diversity.
One key, new and welcomed initiative in Candidate Coakley’s policy is to explore “establishing a new cabinet position tasked with driving a comprehensive policy agenda related to the creative economy, and which fosters collaboration across agencies dealing with economic development, education, housing, and transportation.”
Key excerpts from Candidate Coakley’s plan (MALC comments in green)
The creative economy drives economic growth: it accounts for 10.2% of the overall Massachusetts economy, supports 100,000 jobs, and generates $1.2 billion of direct investment into the Commonwealth every year. Of equal importance, the arts enhance learning in our schools, expand creativity and have the potential to enrich all of our communities. It is critical that our next governor embrace both elements of arts and culture in our Commonwealth – leveraging the economic benefits of the creative economy, and ensuring that everyone has access to the resources that will inspire and enrich our communities. My vision is to integrate policy planning for arts and culture into all areas of state government. As Governor, I will be committed to:
- Explore establishing a new cabinet position tasked with driving a comprehensive policy agenda related to the creative economy, and which fosters collaboration across agencies dealing with economic development, education, housing, and transportation.
- Use the office of the Governor to showcase the cultural resources of Massachusetts and enhance our status as an arts destination, in order to promote travel and tourism within the state, attracting visitors from across the country and around the world.
- Collaborate with leaders from the business community and the creative economy to protect intellectual property rights and strictly enforce fair labor standards, ensuring that all artists are compensated for their work in an appropriate fashion with fair wages.
- Support small creative businesses with a range of measures including greater access to working capital, less regulatory complexity and lower healthcare costs.
- Work with the legislature to double the funding for the Massachusetts Cultural Council (“MCC”) to provide stable funding for the 6,000 non-profit organizations across the Commonwealth currently served by the MCC.
- Build on Governor Patrick’s strong support for the Cultural Facilities Fund – investing in capital grants that leverage private sector and foundation funding.
- Promote expanded learning opportunities and facilitate a shift from STEM to STEAM, whereby programs designed to enhance science, technology, engineering and mathematics would include the arts. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math — ed.)
- Use arts education to address social issues, particularly for the disadvantaged among us. Promote and support local community centers, like the Bird Street Community Center in Dorchester, which provide workforce development and arts education for at-risk youth.
We need a champion for the Creative Economy in the Corner Office to ensure that Massachusetts is a great place to be a creative business and a great place to be an artist. We need a champion for the arts who understands the potential of the arts to enrich our lives and strengthen our communities. (ALL Emphasis added by MALC — ed.)
2. Does the candidate specifically mention our sector in any of their other policy platforms?
Yes. Candidate Coakley does so in the following platforms: (MALC comments in green.)
Excerpt from her policy on Education that mentions our sector: http://www.marthacoakley.com/issues/education:
Expand learning time to allow for more one-on-one instruction, enrichment programs like art and music, and professional development. And reduce the singular emphasis on teaching to the test, so that educators are empowered to help every child succeed. (Emphasis added by MALC — ed.)
And it is once again referred to in her longer education plan titled, “Road Map to Opportunity“, found on her Education issues platform webpage: http://webiva-downton.s3.amazonaws.com/777/e2/0/2797/Roadmap_to_Opportunity.pdf
We also need to expand STEM to STEAM, and acknowledge that arts and music education is critical to the education of every child. Arts and music help develop the creativity and critical thinking skills that are often overlooked in a system focused on standardized testing. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math. ALL Emphasis added by MALC — ed.)
Our sector is also mentioned in Candidate Coakley’s Innovation Economy Proposal press release dated September 29th. It is posted in her Updates section and has yet to be published in the Issues section of her campaign website. http://www.marthacoakley.com/Campaign-Updates/details/2014-09-coakley-kerrigan-put-forward-series-of-proposals-to
Support Growth in the Creative Economy: There are tens of thousands of jobs that are part of the Commonwealth’s creative economy, and it has served to particularly help revitalize many of our gateway cities in Merrimack Valley, Berkshire County, and others. The intersection between technology and the arts is stronger than ever before, with innovative digital games companies, theatre and special effects firms, printers, technology-based art firms, and more across the Commonwealth. The Coakley-Kerrigan Administration will recognize and support this industry’s impact, and support strategic investments which support its growth, such as makerspaces. For instance, the MassRISE regional investment initiative will support investments such as the revitalization of the Victory Theater in Holyoke which will serve as a key part of a revitalization of the downtown.
MALC’s policy challenge includes the Gateway Cities and we would like to see Candidate Coakley’s policy in this area expanded to include cultural districts. We would also like to see our state’s growing film sector (and all who work in it) to be included and supported in this initiative. And finally we would like ALL the arts based micro-businesses and the individual artists of all disciplines who are working in the intersection of technology and the arts to be included.
3. Analyze the candidate’s other platforms and their “news/press/update” sections of their website to assess how their policies may impact and/or could be leveraged to impact our sector:
Many of Candidate Coakley’s platforms are worth noting, especially given that she has pledged in her platform for our sector to “integrate policy planning for arts and culture into all areas of state government”.
The following policy platforms/initiatives are welcomed, but should be expanded to address the needs of artists of all disciplines, the arts/cultural community and the creative economy as noted below (MALC comments in green).
Candidate Coakley’s Innovation Economy Proposal does mention our sector, but there are other areas in the policy that lend itself to integrating our sector. http://www.marthacoakley.com/Campaign-Updates/details/2014-09-coakley-kerrigan-put-forward-series-of-proposals-to
One such area is the following:
Support Startup Culture: Massachusetts has an environment conducive for the creation and growth of new innovative companies, with access to researchers, investment, professional support, and great advice. Some of the most widely-known globally-leading entrepreneurship programs, like MassChallenge and the CIC, are here, and many gained their success through early partnerships and investments from the state. The Coakley-Kerrigan Administration will support our start-up culture through strategic, modest investments, including investments into incubators, accelerators, competitions, and co-working spaces which lower the barrier to entry for start-up entrepreneurs across the Commonwealth. (Maker/artists spaces and coops of all kinds should be part of this policy initiative. Emphasis ours -ed.)
The Jobs and Economy platform has many areas ripe for integration of our sector. For example, the section called Regional Partnership Strategies, http://www.marthacoakley.com/issues/jobs-and-economy, should include artists of all disciplines and our sector:
We need to build an economy that works for everyone – in every region of Massachusetts. This means identifying the unique strengths and needs of each region, and working with local leaders to determine how the state can be an effective partner to address any challenges. Martha Coakley has seen first-hand the transformative impact of meaningful state and local collaborations, through her economic revitalization efforts in the Attorney General’s office such as abandoned property rehabilitation and brownfields redevelopment. We are already seeing successful regional growth strategy pioneers, such as the state-local-industry partnership in Holyoke driving creation of an Innovation District, and the state-local-industry partnerships creating a new neighborhood in Somerville’s Assembly Square. The Coakley-Kerrigan growth strategy includes a community-and-region-based partnership model, providing collaborative investment and support to cities and towns, allowing regions to harness and maximize their unique and diverse industry strengths and economic opportunities.
Artists of all disciplines, the arts, cultural and creative economy sector should be included. ALL economic revitalization efforts should include the creation of all types of artists’ spaces – live/work, work only, performance/practice spaces, coops , public art, as well as cultural, art and civic spaces.
Healthcare
Coakley’s Healthcare platform recognizes the need to address health disparities and it should be expanded to include the occupational health and wellness issues that artists face:
We must also reduce health disparities by improving access to community health centers and addressing the environmental challenges that often lead to higher rates of disease among low-income communities and communities of color.
Source: http://www.marthacoakley.com/issues/healthcare
MALC would like to see included in this platform an occupational wellness program for artists of all disciplines which seeks to address artists’ occupational health needs, issues around age discrimination, the need to better support mid-to late-career artists, support for artists from all backgrounds, etc.
Public Safety
Expand support for organizations and programs throughout Massachusetts, including school-based interventions, nonprofit organizations that provide safe havens, and summer jobs programs, which provide young people with a viable alternative to violence.
Source: http://www.marthacoakley.com/issues/public-safety-gun-control
MALC feels this should initiative should increase support to existing arts and artists’ run businesses and nonprofits that work with our youth and we would like to see it expanded to include more organizations and programs from our sector.
Transportation and Infrastructure
- Support zoning reforms and incentives that promote smart-growth development, which combines dense housing and business development with access to transit, preventing sprawl, providing multiple housing options, and opening up transportation options for residents. (This should include our sector and should also include creating more artists spaces of all kinds, coops, public art, arts/cultural spaces and cultural districts — ed.)
- Support the manufacturing and telecommunications infrastructure that our high-tech and advanced manufacturing companies rely on, and that will attract similar companies to every region of the Commonwealth. (We would like this initiative to include our growing film sector, all the arts based micro-businesses, arts organizations and the individual artists of all disciplines who are working in the intersection of technology and the arts. Key to this support of the manufacturing and telecommunications infrastructure is to Extend high-speed internet to every corner of the Commonwealth — ed.)
- Ensure that Massachusetts remains a premier destination for international and domestic trade and tourism, because together they add billions of dollars to our economy every year.
This initiative needs to include our sector (artists of all disciplines, art, culture and the creative economy communities) and cultural exchanges. It was mentioned in her platform for our sector (see above): “Use the office of the Governor to showcase the cultural resources of Massachusetts and enhance our status as an arts destination, in order to promote travel and tourism within the state, attracting visitors from across the country and around the world.” We would like to also see that language included in this particular platform as well.
Housing
Excerpted from http://www.marthacoakley.com/issues/housing:
Reducing the amount individuals and families pay for housing, and increasing our stock of designated affordable housing, will add billions of dollars to economy, encourage young people to stay in Massachusetts, and reduce the rate of homelessness. We must:
- Support programs and incentives, like Chapter 40B, that help increase the stock of housing affordable to low-income and moderate-income households. The current housing shortage threatens our competitiveness as recent grads and young professionals can’t afford to stay, and it places impossible burdens on lower-income working families and seniors.
This should be expanded to include the creation of artist/live work spaces (rental and ownership and as well as live/work spaces that can accommodate artists with families), artists coops and all coop in general, and housing for our senior/master artists that supports them in their practice as they age up.
- Ensure that housing is considered as part of our environmental and healthcare priorities. Housing is a critical component in our efforts to preserve our environment and improve public health; thus, housing should be a priority across state agencies.
We would encourage that any public health initiative addressing housing integrate arts and cultural programming.
Worker’s Rights
Protecting the rights of workers and working families is critical to reducing income inequality and ensuring that everyone can share in economic growth and prosperity.
Source: http://www.marthacoakley.com/issues/workers-rights
In her detailed platform for our sector (see question #1 above), key and necessary artists’/worker’s right issues were addressed:
Collaborate with leaders from the business community and the creative economy to protect intellectual property rights and strictly enforce fair labor standards, ensuring that all artists are compensated for their work in an appropriate fashion with fair wages.
We would like to see that policy explicitly included in her Worker’s Rights policy platform and we would also like it expanded to address the issue of exploitation of adjunct professors in both the Commonwealth’s and private sector’s college and university systems.
*MALC invited four of the five candidates for Governor to guest blog and the candidates will be featured in reverse alphabetical order:
Tuesday, October 28th Candidate Jeff McCormick
Wednesday, Oct. 29th Candidate Evan Falchuk
Thursday, October 30th Candidate Martha Coakley
Friday, October 31st Candidate Charlie Baker
We are using the following format and questions for all the posts:
List the Candidate’s name, party affiliation (if any), link to their campaign website, link to their guest blog (if they sent one), list their Lt. Governor’s website and their MALC answered Lt. Governor’s questionnaire.
- Does the candidate have a specific policy/issues platform for our sector?
- Does the candidate specifically mention our sector in any of their other policy platforms?
- Analyze the candidate’s other platforms and their “news/press/update” sections of their website to assess how their policies may impact and/or could be leveraged to impact our sector.
**MALC’s full policy platform:
MALC’s Policy Summary:
MALC believes that a serious arts, culture, and creative economy policy must be fully integrated throughout all of the Commonwealth’s policies, programs and initiatives and should also foster cross departmental and agency cooperation. MALC recommends that the next governor’s chief policy adviser be tasked with integration of these policies and that the next governor and their administration address the following four key areas:
1: Artists’ Rights, Artist Retention, and Ensuring the Commonwealth’s Artists Thrive
MALC strongly recommends a commitment to fair trade standards and equitable dealing for artists of all disciplines, along with all those who create intellectual property. This dealing should encompass artists’ work arrangements, fair trade practices, living conditions, tax liability, representation on government boards and agencies, and health and wellness promotion/disaster mitigation.
2: Support and Fund Arts, Culture, and the Creative Economy
MALC strongly recommends a commitment to increasing/stabilizing funding for the Massachusetts Cultural Council, the Cultural Facilities fund, the Cultural Districts program, the Creative Economy Council, the Gateway Cities initiative, the state library system, and Mass Humanities. MALC would also like the next governor to focus on growing the creative economy, including the film and video game sectors.
3: Support and Fund Arts Education on All Levels and For All Ages
MALC strongly recommends a commitment to moving from STEM to STEAM in all state education programs and initiatives, and to increase and/or continue funding for the arts in schools, the Massachusetts College of Art & Design, arts education communities, community centers, libraries, and elder centers. MALC would also like the governor to support teaching artists as well as and the integration, inclusion, and access of the arts for all residents.
4: Establish New and Needed Programs and Initiatives
MALC strongly recommends a commitment to funding a state poet laureate position, implementing the percent for public art and cultural diplomacy programs, rebranding the Commonwealth, and launching a “Created in Massachusetts” campaign.
***Science, Technology, Engineering Arts and Math
MALC does not endorse candidates for office, but seeks to provide needed and timely information about candidates’ platforms and policies that impact artists of all disciplines, the art, and cultural and creative economies. Nor does MALC take positions on the statewide ballot questions.