Massachusetts Artists Leaders Coalition

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

Urge your state senators to co-sponsor Amendments 686 and 832

Sen. Ed Kennedy of Lowell, Co-Chair of the Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts, and Cultural Development, has filed two amendments to the Senate FY20 budget:

  • Amendment #686 would boost funding for the arts, humanities, and sciences to $18 million for FY20, Mass Cultural Council’s highest state appropriation since 2001. Additional funds allow MCC to increase grants for nonprofits, local cultural councils, cultural districts, school and youth programs, and artists.
  • Amendment #832 corrects restrictive language in the Ways and Means plan that would limit Mass Cultural Council’s ability to provide services to local communities, artists, and nonprofits. Professional development, volunteer workshops, and technical assistance are vital services, and the partnerships they help foster set MCC apart from other similar agencies, ensuring support for the broad cultural ecosystem in Massachusetts.

The Senate will take up amendments to the Ways and Means budget plan next week (starting 5/20/19).

Please contact your state senators and urge them to co-sponsor Senator Kennedy’s amendments. Co-sponsorship shows broad support for both the amendments and for the cultural sector across the state.

Find your state senators here:
https://malegislature.gov/Search/FindMyLegislator

(Thanks to MCC for this update. They have a sample email you can use in their blog post here: https://massculturalcouncil.org/blog/advocate-in-the-state-senate/)