What: Creative Sector Advocacy Day at the State House
When: April 30th, 10AM-3PM
Why: Federal arts funding is being slashed (including recent cuts to Mass Humanities). The House will be debating the FY26 budget THAT DAY. We need to show up in force.
How: RSVP here – Meet legislators, enjoy performances, advocate for $28M for Mass Cultural Council + key bills including the PLACE Act.
Prep: Register for advocacy training on April 16th or 18th. Can’t attend? Contact legislators, host local events, or volunteer.

Join Us for Creative Sector Advocacy Day at the State House

Date: Wednesday, April 30th, 2025
Time: 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Location: Massachusetts State House, Boston

Dear Creative Community Member,

On behalf of Creative Collective, I invite you to participate in the upcoming Creative Sector Advocacy Day at the State House, the centerpiece of Creative Sector Advocacy Week 2025 (April 28th – May 2nd). This is a crucial opportunity for artists, arts organizations, cultural institutions, and creative businesses to unite our voices at a time when the sector faces significant external threats and strained government budgets make decisions about public investments more challenging.

Why Your Participation Matters

Massachusetts is the third most arts-vibrant state in the nation, but advocacy, community organizing, and creative joy are essential right now. This year, we’re focusing on the 2025-2026 Creative Sector Legislative Agenda, which includes three key bills developed directly from feedback gathered during MASSCreative’s statewide listening series:

• The PLACE Act (H.3592/S.2332): Establishes a percent-for-public-art program that would dedicate a percentage of public construction costs on Commonwealth-owned property to create and maintain public art.
• The Creative Space Act: Focuses on growing and maintaining creative maker spaces in Massachusetts.
• The ACE Act: Designed to increase the sector’s access to public funding and contribute to a stronger creative economy.

We’re also advocating for critical FY25 budget priorities:

• $28 Million for the Mass Cultural Council’s budget
• $17 Million for the Tourism Trust Fund

Federal Context and Urgency

Right now, the creative sector faces unprecedented challenges at the federal level. Recent federal budget proposals have targeted significant cuts to the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. These aggressive moves threaten to reduce federal arts funding by up to 30%, directly impacting Massachusetts organizations that rely on these grants to supplement state and local support. Two weeks ago, the Trump administration revoked federal funding to every state Humanities council—including Mass Humanities—and to state library commissions.

As federal resources potentially shrink, our state-level advocacy becomes even more critical to ensuring that Massachusetts continues to prioritize arts and culture in its budget decisions. On April 30th, the House will actively debate its version of the FY26 budget. Your presence at the State House demonstrates to our legislators that our creative community remains united and essential to the Commonwealth’s identity and economy, even as federal support wavers.

Event Activities

During the Creative Sector Day at the State House, participants will:

• Celebrate the contributions of artists, cultural organizations, creative businesses, and arts workers to Massachusetts
• Meet with your State Senator and State Representative to discuss the importance of the creative sector
• Network with other creative professionals from across the Commonwealth
• Share your personal stories about how these bills would impact you and your community
• Connect with the 2025-2026 Co-Chairs and members of the Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development
• Enjoy performances, demonstrations, and displays by artists and creatives from across the Commonwealth

Preparation and Support

To help you prepare for effective advocacy, we are offering several resources:

• Artivist Town Hall with Rep. Sean Garballey (April 16th at 1:30 PM): Meet the new House Co-Chair of the Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts, and Cultural Development. Register here. 
• Advocacy 301: Nonprofit Do’s and Don’ts (April 18th from 12-1 PM): Learn how your 501(c)(3) organization can engage in advocacy without jeopardizing its status. Register here. 
• Check out recordings of Advocacy 101 and Advocacy 201 that include how to make a meeting with your legislators and how to plan a local advocacy gathering
• Fact sheets for each bill in the Legislative Agenda
  • [PLACE ACT]
  • [Creative Space act]
  • [The Ace Act]
• Talking points for engaging with legislators. 
• Tools to help you identify your elected officials if you’re unsure

How You Can Participate in Advocacy Week

Beyond attending Creative Sector Day at the State House, there are multiple ways to engage during the entire Advocacy Week (April 28th – May 2nd): You can find helpful tips on all of the following here. 

• Attend an Advocacy Training: Join one of the scheduled sessions to build your advocacy skills
• Host a Community Event: Help organize a local event in your region to expand our reach across the Commonwealth
• Write a Letter to the Editor or Op-Ed: Submit a piece to your local publication about cultural policy priorities
• Volunteer at the State House: Help with setup, check-in, or other tasks during the main event on April 30th
• Endorse the Bills: Use the links on our Take Action page to endorse the bills as an individual and/or organization
• Contact Your Legislators: Use the online form to ask them to co-sponsor these bills

Registration Information

Please RSVP for the Creative Sector Day at the State House using this link: [RSVP Link: https://www.mcan-ma.org/advocacyweekblog/rsvp2025]

If you’re interested in volunteering or hosting a community event, please contact the MASSCreative team at info@mass-creative.org.

Thank you for your commitment to demonstrating the strength, diversity, vibrancy, and value of our creative sector. Through advocacy, organizing, and celebrating creative joy, we can protect and strengthen Massachusetts’ creative community.

Sincerely,

John Andrews
Founder/CEO
Creative Collective
john@creativecollectivema.com 

#MACreativeSectorAdvocacy | @MASSCreative

About MASSCreative: MASSCreative is Massachusetts’ statewide arts and cultural advocacy organization. It works to build a Commonwealth where culture is understood as essential to the health and vitality of all communities, and where creative expression is accessible to everyone. MASSCreative empowers creative organizations and the public to advocate for the resources and attention necessary for a vibrant, healthy, and equitable cultural sector.

About Creative Collective: Creative Collective is a community-focused organization dedicated to empowering local creativity and small businesses across Essex County and the North Shore. We connect creativity, community, and commerce by fostering an inclusive environment where artists and entrepreneurs can thrive, not just survive. Through our membership programs, networking events, and advocacy efforts, we champion diversity in the creative economy and make our communities more vibrant and inclusive. Learn about our program.