Massachusetts Artists Leaders Coalition

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

MALC 7/09 Recommendations to Massachusetts CEC

The following are the recommendations the MALC Steering Committee forwarded to the Chair of the Massachusetts Creative Economy Council as contributions to their mid-year 2009 report:


MALC RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE CEC  7/1/09:

INTRODUCTION—OVERVIEW

As the CEC works to preserve, strengthen and expand the vital role of artists in the Commonwealth’s creative economy, the Massachusetts Artists Leaders Coalition looks forward to playing an active partnership role in designing and implementing measures to achieve this goal.  For the next 3 years, in particular, we would ask the CEC to assign a high priority to the following goals and activities, listed below by general areas of interest.  At this stage, of course, some of these goals can be described in more detail while others will require further definition.  We look forward to doing that work with the Council.

YEAR ONE

FIRST PRIORITY IS ARTIST RETENTION:

Year 1: The CEC should support legislation that protects artists’ rights and oppose legislation that would harm artists’ rights on both the state and national level. This would include preserving and enhancing our Film Tax Credits; supporting the passage of  the Disaster and Emergency Aid Fund for Massachusetts Artists—Senate Bill 1869, the change to the Independent Contractor Law—House Bill 1844, and the most recent amended version of An Act Relative Massachusetts Artists (Health Care)—House Bill 1078. The CEC should oppose House Bill 3686—An Act Relative to Eligibility for Cooperative Housing as its passage would harm artists co-ops and the CEC should oppose any national legislation on Orphan Works that would harm artists. The CEC can support these legislative initiatives by sending letters of support, making phone calls on behalf of SB 1869, HB1844, HB 1078 and to oppose HB 3686 and harmful Orphan Works legislation. The CEC will urge its various local constituencies to echo the CEC’s actions on these pieces of legislation.

SECOND PRIORITY IS MARKETING

Year 1: The CEC will work with the artists community on any efforts to “re- brand” State’s image in a way that highlights the contributions of the artists community through stories, demonstrations, and other means.

THIRD  PRIORITY IS TOURISM:

Year 1: Support  House Bill 4013—Establishment of Cultural Districts and House Bill 1844—An Act to Clarify Seasonal Employment. The CEC can support these bills by sending letters of support/calling on behalf of these legislative efforts and by urging support from the CEC’s  various local constituencies.

YEAR TWO

FIRST PRIORITY IS ARTIST RETENTION:

Year 2:  The CEC will work with the artists community to create state-wide standards for affordable artists live/work spaces and work-only spaces and will also work with the artists community to create state-wide standards for “fair compensation” for artists’ work.

SECOND PRIORITY IS MARKETING:

Year 2: Creation of a Cultural Diplomacy Program: Artists will represent the Commonwealth, take information about Massachusetts to other states and countries. Promotional tools and materials, created by state agencies like MOTT and the MCC, will be made available to the artists. The state will also help by leveraging its contacts in other states and countries for artists in the Cultural Diplomacy Program.

THIRD  PRIORITY IS TOURISM:

Year 2: Compile resources and databases surrounding tourism, arts, events, and jobs within the Commonwealth and create a single, user-friendly “portal” for using them.  Promote this database as a tool for facilitating a dialogue and collaborations among for-profits, non-profits, local governments, and tourism agencies.

YEAR THREE

FIRST PRIORITY IS ARTIST RETENTION:

Year 3: The CEC will work with the artists community to draft legislation that will create two state-wide programs based on tax credits. The first program will be for the owners of facilities who donate their facilities to artists or the arts community for performance, display, work space and/or living space.  The legislation will stipulate that the award of tax credits for the space donation will be based on the full compliance with “fair compensation” standards and when applicable the state-wide standards for affordable artists live/work and work-only spaces. The second program will be a tax credit program for developers and/or communities who wish to create permanent artists live/work spaces and/or artists work-only spaces for rent and/or to purchase. Tax credits will be awarded based on the entities’ full compliance with the state-wide standards for affordable artists live/work and work-only spaces.

SECOND PRIORITY IS MARKETING:

Year 3: Creation of a Touring Artists & Travel Grant Program: This program will help fund artists to perform/present in other states and countries.

THIRD  PRIORITY IS TOURISM:

Year 3: Creation of Regional & Multi-Regional Collaborative Programs.

Format to show the multi-year recommendations work together in each category:

I.  ARTIST RETENTION  (First Priority for each of the three years)

a.    Year 1: The CEC should support legislation that protects artists’ rights and oppose legislation that would harm artists’ rights on both the state and national level. This would include preserving and enhancing our Film Tax Credits; supporting the passage of  the Disaster and Emergency Aid Fund for Massachusetts Artists—Senate Bill 1869, the change to the Independent Contractor Law—House Bill 1844, and the most recent amended version of An Act Relative Massachusetts Artists (Health Care)—House Bill 1078. The CEC should oppose House Bill 3686—An Act Relative to Eligibility for Cooperative Housing as its passage would harm artists co-ops and the CEC should oppose any national legislation on Orphan Works that would harm artists. The CEC can support these legislative initiatives by sending letters of support, making phone calls on behalf of SB 1869, HB1844, HB 1078 and to oppose HB 3686 and harmful Orphan Works legislation. The CEC will urge its various local constituencies to echo the CEC’s actions on these pieces of legislation.

b.     Year 2:  The CEC will work with the artists community to create state-wide standards for affordable artists live/work spaces and work-only spaces and will also work with the artists community to create state-wide standards for “fair compensation” for artists’ work.

c. Year 3: The CEC will work with the artists community to draft legislation that will create two state-wide programs based on tax credits. The first program will be for the owners of facilities who donate their facilities to artists or the arts community for performance, display, work space and/or living space.  The legislation will stipulate that the award of tax credits for the space donation will be based on the full compliance with “fair compensation” standards and when applicable the state-wide standards for affordable artists live/work and work-only spaces. The second program will be a tax credit program for developers and/or communities who wish to create permanent artists live/work spaces and/or artists work-only spaces for rent and/or to purchase. Tax credits will be awarded based on the entities’ full compliance with the state-wide standards for affordable artists live/work and work-only spaces.

II.   MARKETING  (Second Priority for each of the three years)

a.       Year 1: The CEC will work with the artists community on any efforts to “re- brand” State’s image in a way that highlights the contributions of the artists community through stories, demonstrations, and other means.

b.      Year 2: Creation of a Cultural Diplomacy Program: Artists will represent the Commonwealth, take information about Massachusetts to other states and countries. Promotional tools and materials, created by state agencies like MOTT and the MCC, will be made available to the artists. The state will also help by leveraging its contacts in other states and countries showcase the work of Massachusetts artists within the schools and universities, the arts sector, the nonprofit sector, government, and the private sector.

c. Year 3: Creation of a Touring Artists & Travel Grant Program: This program will help fund artists to perform/present in other states and countries.

III.     TOURISM  (Third Priority for each of the three years)

a.       Year 1: Support  House Bill 4013—Establishment of Cultural Districts and House Bill 1844—An Act to Clarify Seasonal Employment. The CEC can support these bills by sending letters of support/calling on behalf of these legislative efforts and by urging support from the CEC’s  various local constituencies.

b.     Year 2: Compile resources and databases surrounding tourism, arts, events, and jobs within the Commonwealth and create a single, user-friendly “portal” for using them.  Promote this database as a tool for facilitating a dialogue and collaborations among for-profits, non-profits, local governments, and tourism agencies.

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c.   Year 3: Creation of Regional & Multi-Regional Collaborative Programs.