MALC Boston Mayoral Candidates Policy Analysis
The Massachusetts Artists Leaders Coalition (MALC) is dedicated to empowering artists and promoting the arts, culture, and the creative economy throughout the Commonwealth. We work to ensure that artists of all disciplines have a meaningful place at policy making tables at all levels of government.
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The Election of a Generation
Boston is both the state capital and the cultural center of our Commonwealth. The individual elected to serve as its mayor come Tuesday, November 5, will greatly influence our Commonwealth‘s cultural affairs. The brighter Boston shines, the more artists will thrive in Massachusetts. Thus, MALC has closely followed Boston’s mayoral campaign and has analyzed the candidates’ respective arts and culture policies. Both candidates also completed the arts and culture “Create the Vote” questionnaire provided by MassCreative. Artists and all interested parties are encouraged to sign up as “arts voters” with MassCreative and “take the pledge” to prioritize arts, culture, and creativity.
MALC as a coalition does not promote or endorse anyone for office. However, we do provide analysis and point out good policy. We are very excited to report that both candidates (John Connolly and Marty Walsh) have written policies on their websites that impact our artists, arts, culture, and creative economy. This is a welcome change from 4 years ago when only one candidate for mayor had an arts and culture platform. John Connolly calls his arts and culture policy “Nurturing Arts in Boston” and Marty Walsh calls his “Cultural Affairs.” MALC would have liked to see a 10-20 page white paper on arts and culture from each candidate, but this is a fine start that will hopefully serve as a precedent for future campaigns.
The Major Points
MALC compared and contrasted the two final candidates’ arts and culture policies, which are posted on their respective websites. We encourage all artists and interested parties to take a look at the policies, factor it into their thinking on the candidates, and above all vote!
Walsh was the first candidate who pledged to create a new cabinet level office to promote the creative sector. Walsh calls his new sector the “Department of Cultural Affairs.” Connolly subsequently pledged to do the same with what he calls the “Department of Arts and Culture. ” This is a crucial component to ensuring artists have a place at Boston’s policy making table.
Walsh’s website specifies action items his Cultural Affairs office will work on with other agencies, including the Diversity Office, Development Authority, Film Office, and Commission on Elder Affairs. It states, “Boston’s artists of all disciplines, ages, and backgrounds are central to Marty’s planned Artists First Initiative. This initiative will address artists’ occupational health needs, professional development, affordable artist space, fair trade, and compensation.” MALC would like to see more detail on this, particularly regarding occupational health needs, but it is a great start.
Walsh’s website says his Cultural Affairs office “will be a key component in implementing his larger vision integrating the arts throughout Boston’s policies, initiatives, and programs,” and that under this new office “the arts will also be integrated across all City departments and programs through substantive engagement with Boston residents and employees.” This is a very encouraging vision of the new office and MALC would like to see the policy drill down to specific action items that will implement this philosophical stance.
Walsh’s website further commits to fair trade and fair labor standards when the city contracts with artists; counteracting age discrimination of Master Artists as they age up; culture driven economic development; cultural diplomacy to build relationships with artists, arts organizations, and Boston’s sister cities; and growing the film sector. MALC is very pleased to see fair trade included in Walsh’s platform as we have been focused on fair trade for years.
Connolly’s website states his Department of Arts and Culture will “engage Boston’s artists and residents in a citywide cultural planning process” and “focus its efforts entirely on cultivating a thriving arts community in Boston.” This is a sound philosophical foundation, but MALC would like to see specific action items specified.
Connolly’s website commits to “providing arts and music education to all BPS students,” “increasing direct funding and partnership support for Boston’s arts organizations,” “supporting the development of live-work space for artists,” “streamlining permitting to make it easier for events and pop-up galleries,” and “supporting public art and world-class festivals.” These are great items that indicate an understanding of the foundational importance of art throughout our communities.
Regarding live-work space for artists, Connolly proposes “we should look for opportunities to make city-owned land available for the creation of limited equity coops for artists, like 300 Summer Street. This is a way to give working artists some of the stability and benefits of homeownership while ensuring the properties’ affordability in perpetuity.” This is the kind of direct action MALC likes to see proposed. We would like to see more specifics on how Connolly’s other goals will be achieved, but the commitment to these items is an excellent sign.
The Importance of Arts and Culture
MALC also analyzed the extent to which the candidates include art and culture in the other policies that form their platforms. Connolly’s website states he will increase “the supply of microlofts to create affordable options for recent graduates, young artists, and young professionals,” under his “Strengthening Vibrant and Affordable Neighborhoods” policy; remove “barriers to small businesses and our creative economy” under his “Making Boston A Competitive Job Creator” policy; and cites “leveraging the resources of The Office of Arts & Tourism to bring the Gay Games to Boston,” under his “Embracing Our Diversity” policy. These are important policy objectives, though MALC would like to see stipulated action items and expanded arts and culture integration within his other policies.
Walsh includes arts and culture within his “Education,” “Economic Development,” “Parks and Recreation,” “Small Business,” “Technology and Innovation,” “Housing,” “Workforce Development,” and “Elder Care and Services” policies. He lays out specific arts-related action items within each policy and further cross-references to build a comprehensive and cohesive platform. For example, Walsh pledges to promote the arts within his Cultural Affairs policy and to provide senior citizens with “the respect and support that allows for a fulfilling and independent life” within his Elder Care and Services policy. As part of his Elder policy, Walsh calls for creating “arts-engagement” programs run by professional artists at senior centers and senior housing. Then, within his Parks and Recreation policy, Walsh calls for specifically providing arts-based programs for seniors in Boston’s parks. This is indicative of well-thought out professional policy building.
Walsh’s website describes how he developed his policies, working with “20 different teams across 20 different policy areas” and structuring each policy on 4 pillars: Access, Accountability, Transparency, and Collaboration. MALC would like to see Connolly’s website detail how he developed and structured his policies.
Connolly’s website translates into 7 languages other than English, while Walsh’s website provides his story in Spanish in addition to English. MALC is not qualified to judge the quality and accuracy of these translations, but such outreach is certainly promising. It would be nice to see more translation and more languages on Walsh’s website.
Walsh’s website lists accomplishments he has had and actions he has taken to empower artists and promote arts, culture, and the creative economy during his 16 years as a state legislator. Of particular value to MALC is his co-sponsorship of an “Act Establishing a Disaster and Emergency Aid Fund for Massachusetts Artists.” Connolly does not lay out arts and culture accomplishments from his 6 years as a Boston City Councilor on his website. MALC would like to see that.
Boston’s mayoral race will serve as a template for arts and culture activism when it comes to electing the state’s next governor and within elections on the national stage. Please take the time to review each candidate’s website, ponder the issues carefully, and vote come Nov. 5. If you’re not sure where you vote, find out here.
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This policy analysis is representative of the candidates’ policies, as they appear on their websites, as of Oct. 30, 2013. MALC will conduct daily reviews of the candidates’ websites from now until election day and report any changes.
This policy analysis was written by MALC Steering Committee member John Weeks and edited by Steering Committee member Mary Bucci McCoy. John lives in Worcester and Mary lives in Beverly, thus neither will be voting in the Boston Mayoral election on Nov. 5. John formerly worked at the Mass. State House as a legislative aide for State Rep. John Mahoney (D-Worcester). He has never worked with or met either John Connolly or Marty Walsh.
MALC Steering Committee members Don Schaefer, Craig Bailey, and Ja-Nae Duane are all part of MassCreative’s “Create The Vote” Coalition.
MALC members are free to work on any and all political campaigns as individuals. MALC does not compile information on where its members’ political alliances lie.
MALC Steering Committee member Kathleen Bitetti serves as a volunteer cultural affairs policy advisor for Marty Walsh. Her personal political involvement does not represent MALC as a coalition, nor was it allowed to bias this policy analysis. Incidentally, John would like to see the unprecedented focus that arts and culture have received in this election become a template for elections in his hometown, as well as municipalities across the Commonwealth and the nation.