Massachusetts Artists Leaders Coalition

Artists leaders and artist-run groups addressing policy issues that affect artists in Massachusetts

House Committee Proposes $1.5 Million Cut to Arts, Humanities & Sciences in FY14 Budget for MCC

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 10, 2013

House Committee Proposes $1.5 Million Cut to Arts, Humanities & Sciences in FY14 Budget for MCC

(Boston, MA) – The House Committee on Ways and Means released a state budget proposal for the coming fiscal year today that recommends $8.1 million for the Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC).

This would represent a significant budget cut of nearly $1.5 million—or 15 percent—that would force cuts to grants that support thousands of public programs in the arts, sciences, and humanities across Massachusetts. The cuts proposed by the Ways & Means Committee are on top of a one-percent, mid-year cut to MCC’s state appropriation that the Legislature approved earlier this year, and reduced support from the National Endowment for the Arts in the coming year.

State support for MCC is already less than half of what it was a decade ago, even as the nonprofit cultural sector that it supports continues to struggle with a prolonged economic downturn that has eroded philanthropic support from all sources.

MCC and its allies in the House of Representatives will now work to pass an amendment to restore cultural funding. Amendments are due this Friday, April 12. The full House will break for April vacation and take up the FY14 state budget during the week of April 22.

“State support for arts and culture returns dividends to the Commonwealth through more jobs in the creative economy, more vital communities, and a richer education for our children,” said Anita Walker, MCC Executive Director. “We should be restoring investment in this sector, not cutting it. We will work with MASSCreative and our allies in the cultural sector to ensure this vital funding is restored through the amendment process.”

MCC will ask every legislator to sign on to its amendment to reverse the budget cut and restore funding. Details will be provided to constituents soon on how their legislators can support the amendment.

The House Ways and Means budget is one key step in the annual state budget process. The Senate will release its own budget recommendations in May. The two chambers must then agree on a budget before sending it back to the Governor for final approval before the new fiscal year begins July 1.

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

http://www.massculturalcouncil.org/news/advocacy.asp

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 a combination of grants, services, and advocacy for nonprofit cultural organizations, schools, communities, and artists. With state funding and an annual state partnership grant from the National Endowment from the Arts, MCC’s budget is $11.1 million for the current year.