Massachusetts Artists Leaders Coalition

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

MA House Votes To Level Fund The MCC

The Massachusetts House of Representatives on Monday voted to level fund the Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC) at $12 million for Fiscal Year 2016 (FY16). The MCC is the state agency that supports the arts, sciences, and humanities. It’s current budget is $13.3 million, of which about $12 million comes from the state.

Arts advocates had hoped to see funding boosted to $15 million. Representative Corey Atkins, Chairwoman of the Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development, had championed an amendment to the FY16 budget that would have done just that.

However, the vote to approve level funding was a win because the MCC was facing a 16% cut to its budget in FY16. The original FY16 budget draft, released earlier in April by the House of Representatives’ powerful Ways and Means Committee, set MCC funding at $10 million.