A Voice for the Arts
At the Arts Foundation, one of our goals is for the region’s creative economy to have a voice at the legislative table. We do this by advocating for the arts at the local, state, and national levels to ensure that arts and culture remains a vital part of our community.
In collaboration with MASSCreative, we work throughout the year to strengthen our advocacy by highlighting the important role that arts and culture play on Cape Cod. We share this with our municipal leaders, county commissioners, and state and federal elected representatives.
How You Can Help
If you believe the arts are critical to healthy and vibrant families, schools, neighborhoods, and communities, then YOU can help by using YOUR VOICE to encourage municipalities, the county, the state, and the federal government to invest more resources into the arts sector.
The best part is anyone can speak up in favor of arts projects, initiatives, and funding priorities, whether you’re an artist, an arts leader, or a supporter of the arts!
A great place to start is at MASSCreative, the statewide advocacy group for the creative sector. On their website here, they list current budgetary and legislative priorities in the Commonwealth, and how YOU can take action by contacting your representatives or speaking up at public hearings.
Your voice matters and lets our state and federal officials know that the arts are important to this place we call home.
In 2023, there are 5 bills currently being considered in the Legislature that would enhance arts and culture, making it more equitable and inclusive across the Commonwealth:
- 3241/S.530: An Act to preserve space for the creative economy
- 3244/S.2194: An Act creating a program to increase cultural equity in tourism promotion
- 151/S.113: An Act improving accessibility in the creative economy
- 3246/S.2190: An Act establishing a program for local art and community engagement
- 228/S.130: An act to promote downtown vitality
Communicating with Our Legislative Delegation
Is there an issue that you would like to see addressed locally, regionally, or nationally? Email us at info@artsfoundation.org. We can pass it along to our elected officials.
We hold at least one meeting a year with our Massachusetts legislative delegation. It’s an opportunity for arts leaders across the Cape to come together and share the impact of our work, the challenges we are facing, and opportunities for our legislators to push for bills and funding that can strengthen the sector.
Let us know at info@artsfoundation.org about the challenges (seasonal economy, inflation, housing, employee recruitment/retention, implementing energy efficiency measures, etc.) you are facing. Your feedback as an artist, as an arts and culture organization, or as a supporter of the arts provides us with information we can bring to our delegation. This information can be critical in their efforts to add more resources to the Cape’s creative economy.
Create the Vote
During elections, the Arts Foundation takes a leadership role in helping voters understand how candidates for political office will develop dynamic cultural policies to bolster arts and culture locally, regionally, and beyond.
The Arts Foundation takes a nonpartisan approach to its advocacy efforts which are designed to bring arts and culture to the forefront at election time. In the past, we’ve convened meetings of candidates focused on issues related to the arts. Candidates are given questionnaires about the arts, and the responses are publicized, resulting in more informed voters at the polls.
The campaign also engages in broad-based education by holding public meetings with candidates, artists, and cultural leaders.
Why the Arts Matter
Did you know that arts and culture generates billions of dollars in economic impact throughout the Commonwealth? In 2021, the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis & National Assembly of State Arts Agencies reported the arts contributed $27.2 billion (4.2% of the state’s GDP) to Massachusetts. That same year, there were over 135,000 jobs in the arts sector.
Want to Be an Advocate for the Arts?
If you want to be an advocate for the arts on Cape Cod, email us at info@artsfoundation.org. By doing so, we can let you know when important meetings, votes, and initiatives are happening — and how you can get involved in being a champion for the arts.
The more of us who speak up – and the more we speak up – the greater difference we can have collectively in creating the type of community we all want to live (and create) in.