Massachusetts Artists Leaders Coalition
Artists leaders and artist-run groups addressing policy issues that affect artists in Massachusetts
As we lead up to 13th Annual “Artists Under The Dome” Event and the MALC 2019 “Champion of Artists” Awards on November 18, 2019, at the State House, we are highlighting each of the five “Champion of Artists” awardees. This post is highlighting Lisa Simmons. This particular award is given in the memory of MALC Co-founder, Liora Beer.
For the fourth time, MALC will be awarding its Champion of Artists Awards as part of the 13th Annual Artists Under the Dome event on November 18th, at the Massachusetts State House. These awards are given by MALC to honor those who have shown exceptional support of the artists community.
Following the recent, very sad news of Green Street Studios sudden closing, artist and digboston’s Executive Editor, Jason Pramas, published an opinion piece, Oct. 16, 2019, highlighting the fading reality of what remains of the state’s cultural district in Central Square, Cambridge, MA.
“It joins such recent closings in Central Square—a state designated cultural district—as the Out of the Blue art gallery and Mobius performance art space and the EMF music community and its New Alliance Gallery. Cambridge has also seen the departure of the Deborah Mason School of Dance, Comedy Studio and Bridge Repertory theater company in recent years.” ~ CAMBRIDGE ARTISTS FIGHTING BACK AGAINST DISPLACEMENT
Artists of all disciplines need space and time to create their work. There is a space crisis in the Greater Boston Metro area both in the housing sector and in the commercial property sector. This crisis hits our community two-fold, and it is not the time for our community to be pitted against each other.
The MALC Steering Committee is greatly disturbed by the Boston Center for the Arts (BCA) recent plans and actions for its “studio building.” What the BCA has proposed is not innovative. It is not creative. It is not bold. It is destructive and is pitting the artists community against each other1.
We should all expect and demand better of a non-profit arts organization that is itself subsidized by the City of Boston, and rents and manages city property for $1 per year2.
The BCA’s treatment of the current artist studio tenants (visual artists, musicians, filmmakers) is disrespectful at best. To call a town meeting for the BCA studio artists under the pretense of discussing the plans for the BCA’s 50th anniversary — only to tell them they are ALL being evicted — is something one might expect from corporate raiders, not from non-profit arts organizations. (more…)