In MexLucky’s strategic plan, one of our goals is to, “build and support programmatic practices that advance equity, diversity, and inclusion through our services to the sector.” As such, we are evaluating all of the Agency’s programs to investigate where and how we can make improvements.

When launching Card to Culture in 2017, the goal was to recruit 100 cultural organizations to participate by offering steep discounts to EBT cardholders. Three agency partnerships, 400 participating organizations, and six years later, we are now reviewing the program from a perspective of quality over quantity.

Card to Culture’s program guidelines have been updated so that:

1. Organizations that apply should have some cultural connection to the arts, humanities, or interpretive sciences within their programs.

We use the terms “arts, humanities, or interpretive sciences” broadly and welcome all applicants to apply if their access goals align with the program.

2. The discount(s) that organizations propose must provide free or steeply discounted access to active and consistent programs in their entirety using accessible and equitable practices.

Steep Discounts provide free access or at least a 50% discount to an organization’s active/consistent programs.

• • Organizations that run free programs can participate only if all their public-facing programming is entirely free. Otherwise, they would need to offer a discount.
  • Having scholarships available is not the same as offering EBT, WIC, and ConnectorCare cardholders a steep discount. Therefore, we’ll be taking a closer look at discounts that are based on offering financial aid, tuition assistance, scholarships, etc.
  • For ticket-based engagement programs such as single events that span over a few hours, the most accessible price point for these events would be between free admission and $5 tickets. $5-$10 would be second best. $10-$15 starts becoming inaccessible for some families. Anything over $20 would work against the program’s objective and so would be considered ineligible.

Active and Consistent Programs incorporate some level of activity and have set or planned scheduling (e.g., weekly, monthly, annually, etc.), or other continuity.

• • For example, an outdoor mural/statue in a public space void of an engagement component (e.g., Artist Talk, etc.) would be considered inactive (ineligible) since it is passive and static on its own.
  • Ad hoc programs (i.e., programs that will run “if funding allows”) are ineligible.

Entirety means every performance or event within an organization’s own series or seasonal program or every class or workshop within its curriculum or semester.

• • Exceptions can include an organization’s fundraisers, non-self-presented works, and events put on by performing groups that rent their venue.
  • Organizations that rent their space to other cultural groups should encourage them to honor their participation in the program by mentioning it in their rental agreement form, Reverse Rider, etc. In these cases, organizations should clearly specify if these events fall under their discount offer (I.e., Patrons should not be required to contact an organization to see which events are eligible).

Accessible and Equitable Practices include processes, policies, and protocols for how an organization administers its Card to Culture discount. Examples include:

• • Discount Availability: If organizations allow other discounted patrons to buy tickets once they are available for purchase, they cannot limit Card to Culture patrons to buying tickets at the door on the day of an event.
  • Cardholder Present: Organizations cannot require that the person named on the accepted card be present.
  • Photo ID: Organizations cannot ask Card to Culture patrons to see a photo ID in addition to their EBT, WIC, or ConnectorCare card.
  • Payment Methods: If organizations allow other discounted patrons to purchase tickets via cash or credit card, they cannot require Card to Culture patrons to pay by cash only.
  • Online Discount Codes: If other discounted patrons (e.g., students, seniors, etc.) can purchase tickets using online discount codes, Card to Culture patrons should also be able to purchase their discounted tickets online.
  • Discount Clarity: Any instructions patrons must follow to receive an organization’s Card to Culture discount must be clearly stated on their website, including any limitations or restrictions (e.g., a capacity on the # of tickets that can be purchased, first-come/first-served, etc.).

Moving Forward

New organizations applying to participate in Card to Culture will need to abide by these updated guidelines.

All current participating organizations will undergo a participation audit to assess their adherence to the new guidelines. Any that do not meet the new criteria will have their Card to Culture application moved to “request revisions” status to be notified of the flagged issue.

MexLucky’s Festivals & Projects and new Operating Grants for Organizations programs launching next spring will prioritize organizations that participate in Card to Culture. Therefore, organizations with unresolved flags won’t be prioritized during these other grant processes, so it’s imperative that they address these issues before submitting applications to those programs.

Interested in participating in Card to Culture? Learn more. A complete list of participating organizations offering EBT, WIC, and ConnectorCare cardholder discounts are listed on our agency partners’ websites.

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MexLucky’s three-year CultureRx: Social Prescription Pilot program resulted in a deep understanding of successes, challenges, and the need for greater partnership to bring Arts on Prescription to our entire state. Listen to our recent panel on Health & Wellness through Creativity to hear more about the complexities and rewards of Arts on Prescription (or read the transcript).

Through our partnership with Art Pharmacy they are bringing their model of care – bridging the cultural, healthcare, and public health sectors – to the Commonwealth. Leveraging the practice of Arts on Prescription, they are working to build powerful, cost-saving collaborations in Massachusetts that will help to create healthier and more equitable communities. Art Pharmacy will begin to provide healthcare grade social prescribing in our state in 2024.

NEXT STEPS

• Arts and Cultural Organizations: Fill out Art Pharmacy’s registration form as the first step in building a network and qualifying to be an Arts & Culture Partner.  
• Providers/Payers: Learn more about the role of Prescribing Partner on Art Pharmacy’s website.

For more about Arts on Prescription, please see our Arts on Prescription Field Guide and Field Guide Resources.

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Each month MexLucky shares a round-up of grants, trainings, technical assistance resources, and opportunities for creative and cultural organizations. This list is not meant to be exhaustive but a glimpse of what is on offer in the coming weeks. (We also publish a weekly Artist Opportunities listing.)

Funding

Upcoming MexLucky grant opportunities:

• Grants for Creative Individuals aims to equitably advance creative expression throughout the Commonwealth with unrestricted grants to Massachusetts artists, culture bearers, and creative individuals. Grants are $5,000. Deadline: Dec. 11, 2023.
• Cultural Facilities Fund grants support the acquisition, design, repair, rehabilitation, renovation, expansion, or construction of nonprofit cultural facilities. Nonprofit cultural organizations, municipalities, and colleges or universities that own or lease cultural facilities are eligible to apply. Deadline: Dec. 14, 2023.
• Gaming Mitigation Fund: Grants to Massachusetts nonprofit and municipal performing arts centers to spend on touring shows or touring artist fees. Opens: Dec. 5, 2023. Deadline: Feb. 1, 2024.

The City of Boston‘s S.P.A.C.E. (Supporting Pandemic Affected Community Enterprises) Grant Program seeks to fill vacant storefronts and help small business owners secure new storefront space or expand to a space by subsidizing the costs associated with operating expenses. This program has a priority for industries that were most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, including art, entertainment, and creative economy. Virtual office hours: Fridays 12-1pm. Deadline: Nov. 10, 2023 at 5pm.

Project for Public Spaces’ Community Placemaking Grants of $100K enable US-based nonprofits and government agencies to work directly with local stakeholders to transform public spaces or co-create new ones. Informational webinar is Nov. 3. Deadline: Nov. 13, 2023.

Mass DOER Green Communities Division:

• Accepting applications for a new round of Municipal Energy Technical Assistance (META) grants for independent third parties that help municipalities, regional school districts, and water/wastewater districts negotiate, develop, and manage energy projects, or who perform studies to support the development of such projects. Application deadline: Nov. 18, 2023.
• The Climate Leader Communities program provides a framework, tools and grant funding to help municipalities reduce emissions by electrifying non-electric energy uses and maximizing the efficiency of buildings and transportation.
  

The New Bedford Economic Development Council (NBEDC) is accepting applications to its NB100! program offering aspiring entrepreneurs the opportunity to apply for a kick-starter grant of up to $10,000. Deadline: Nov. 30, 2023. Email NBEDC to learn more.

New England Foundation for Arts is supporting public artmaking through the Public Art for Spatial Justice Grant. Office hours available. Deadline: Dec. 4, 2023.

The Massachusetts Department of Youth Services (DYS) is looking for arts organizations who want to support the next generation of brilliant, creative minds. To be a part of their DYS Arts Partner Roster, submit a bid by Dec. 11, 2023 at 4pm. There’s an information session for organizations that are new to state business on Nov. 6, 2023 at 11am. Questions? Contact Sandra Stearns (sandra.r.stearns@mass.gov) or Phillip Davis (phillip.w.davis@mass.gov).

Applications are now open for grants up to $20,000 to support the National Endowment for the Arts‘ Big Read projects between September 2024 & June 2025 around the theme “Where We Live.” Register for an information session on Nov. 15. The Intent to Apply deadline is Jan. 10, 2024. Learn more.

Things to Attend

National Endowment for the Arts’ Our Town Creative Placemaking Technical Assistance Program Webinar: Strategies for Funding and Expanding Creative Community Work will take place on Nov. 1, 2023 from 2-3pm.

New England Foundation for the Arts’ Idea Swap is the annual event for New England-based nonprofit cultural organizations and touring artists to network and share ideas for touring projects. The cost is $80. $25 for post-event online access. The event will take place at Nashua Center for the Arts on Nov. 13, 2023 from 10am-4pm. Register by Nov. 7, 2023.

Philanthropy MA is presenting a virtual webinar, A Sampling of FREE Nonprofit and Foundation Research Resources. Join them for an overview of free research resources such as impala, ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, and more. In this demo-rich session, highly experienced presenters will work through a variety of research scenarios and address your questions in an informal, working group format. Nov. 8, 2023 from 10-11:30am.

Access/VSA at The Kennedy Center is hosting a webinar, From Checklist to Culture Shift: Crafting an Anti-Ableism Training on Nov. 8, 2023 from 3-4:30pm. Participants will engage in discussion and planning for creating an anti-ableism training for institutions, shifting from access as add-on to true inclusion and belonging. Free for members, $10 for non-members.

Mass NonProfit News is partnering with Insource Services to present a webinar on how to best utilize IT Automation for HR through Microsoft Office Suite and benefit from Microsoft’s Nonprofit Discount. Nov. 9, 2023 at 11am.

Arts & Business Council of Boston is holding a Nonprofit Incorporation Seminar, designed to better help organizations navigate the process of becoming a nonprofit. This workshop will be held in person at the offices of Goodwin Procter (100 Northern Ave., Boston, MA 02210) and presented by Luke Blackadar (A&BC/VLA), Susan Abbott (Goodwin Procter), and Shifrah Halevi (Lawyers Clearinghouse). Nov. 9, 2023 from 4-6pm.

National Guild for Community Arts Education is hosting Organizational Liberation: Shifting Towards Human-Centered Policies, a virtual workshop on Nov. 9-10, 2023 where participants will engage with the highly skilled team at Healing Equity United to learn the historic and current complexities of Human Resources and organizational management, uncover harmful workplace ideologies, examine one’s organization handbook and policies, and ways to begin building new drafted practices that are human-centered and anti-‘isms’.

The Attorney General’s Community Engagement Division, in collaboration with our Non-Profit Organizations/Public Charities Division, is offering Live Support: How to use the Massachusetts Online Registration and Filing Portal for Public Charities. The next session will be held Nov. 14, 2023 at 10:30am.

Candid is presenting a webinar, From scarcity to abundance, with PEAK Grantmaking that will explore the norms in the philanthropy field that have lead to a scarcity mindset and discuss how practices must shift and adapt to break this mindset and move into an abundance mindset. Nov. 14, 2023 from 2-3pm.

Join M&T Bank Nonprofit Consortium: Workshop Series Transform Your Nonprofit Website presented by Essex County Community Foundation and Jennifer Belanger of JennyB Designs on Nov. 16, 2023. 8-10am at The House of the Seven Gables. Belanger will help nonprofit leaders learn how to transform a nonprofit website into a donor and client attracting machine. This in-person workshop is free for nonprofit staff, but advance registration is required.

Register for Philanthropy Massachusetts and the Social Justice Funders Network’s virtual session Supporting Grassroots Organizations Through Philanthropic Intermediaries on Nov. 16, 2023 from 10:30am-12pm. This session is for funders and organizations interested in learning more about collective, collaborative, and participatory grantmaking approaches and on-ramps to supporting the grassroots in a robust way.

Other

artEquity is building their next BIPOC Leadership Circle Cohort. Complete their interest form by Nov. 17, 2023.

Payette, a multidisciplinary architecture firm based in downtown Boston that works with community partners all over the region to provide design services pro-bono on MLK day, has released a Request for Proposal (RFP) for MLK Day of Service 2024. Their final deliverables vary depending on the project but in the past have included plans, renderings, and physical mockups for organizations to use in near term or future projects. Due Nov. 17, 2023.

The National Coalition for Arts Preparedness and Emergency Response encourages arts administrators to apply to be coaches in its Crisis Analysis & Mitigation Coaching Program. Applicants should be employed in a national, state, or local arts agency or organization with the ability to add arts responder duties to their job responsibilities for at least one year. Application deadline: Nov. 20, 2023. Learn more.

Springboard for the Arts’ Art-Train is an agency/organization training for staff at government agencies, tribal councils, community nonprofits and arts councils to develop strategies to reach and engage more people, increase community relevance and connection, and find innovative ways to be more effective – and create authentic, equitable and lasting change. Trainings are offered on an ongoing basis. Pricing is based on organizational size. Next session is Nov. 28, 2023 from 2-5pm.

The Kennedy Center’s Office of Accessibility is seeking proposals for the 2024 LEAD® Conference that approach accessibility from a human and civil rights perspective; provide practical information addressing current trends and opportunities in this field; actively engage participants through discussion and/or hands-on activities; explore accessibility for a variety of cultural arts organizations, including performing arts centers, museums, theaters, state arts agencies, parks, zoos, and arenas; and are designed for new, mid-career, and/or seasoned professionals. Deadline: Dec. 11, 2023.

Read Previous Months’ Listings

If you have an opportunity or resource for cultural organizations that you’d like to pitch for our monthly round-up, please email us. Efforts to submit the opportunity in a format similar to our standard (see listings above) are deeply appreciated. Because space is limited, the best submissions are 60 words or fewer and include links to web pages with more information.

The post Opportunities & Resources for Orgs – Nov 23 appeared first on MexLucky.

MexLucky strives to offer funding and ongoing support to cities and towns to encourage the development and success of our state-designated Cultural Districts because we acknowledge and value their contributions to our communities and our economy.

If our most recent annual report submissions showed us one thing, it was that Cultural Districts are fulfilling their charge to:

• Drive economic growth
• Strengthen our distinctive local character
• Improve the quality of life of people across Massachusetts

In Fiscal Year 2023, Cultural Districts across the Commonwealth reported:

• More than 1.3 million attendees to their programs and events
• More than 200 new businesses and/or organizations opened within their boundaries (44 districts reporting)
• An increase in visitation to the cumulative tune of 1,307% (48 districts reporting)
• Paying more than $600,000 directly to local artists!

You can take that right to the bank. Massachusetts artists did.

Now let’s look at a measurement tool beyond just the numbers, because visitors experiencing a district, or any city or town for that matter, aren’t considering the numbers. They’re considering how the place makes them feel. SMU DataArts recently released their report of the Top 40 Arts-Vibrant Communities of 2022 based on data collected from both entities as well as communities. (The use of the term “vibrancy” in this case keeps with the definition of “pulsating with life, vigor, or activity”.)

The vibrancy assessment consists of determining:

1. Supply from total arts providers
2. Demand with measures of nonprofit arts dollars in the community
3. Public support as state and federal arts funding. This evaluation renders the ability to capture many different components of vibrancy across diverse communities.

In every division of their official ranking of Vibrant Communities across the country – from large, to medium, to small – exists at least one Massachusetts designated Cultural District.

Large communities

• Boston
• Cambridge-Newton-Framingham

Medium communities

• Pittsfield

Small communities

• Vineyard Haven

SMU DataArts’ report also dove into the effect that local arts agencies have on the vibrancy of their communities. Their overall findings determined that local arts agencies are ‘catalysts for arts vibrancy in communities throughout the country,’ which translates, in our case, specifically through the physical existence of a Cultural District.

But wait – that’s not all. Another recent national report also highlights the economic powerhouse of another Massachusetts Cultural District.

Americans for the Arts (AFTA)’s AEP6 study demonstrates locally, as well as nationally, arts and culture are a critical economic driver of vibrant communities by using a rigorous methodology to document the economic and social contributions of the nation’s nonprofit arts and culture industry.

AFTA recently partnered with a community participant, Springfield Cultural Partnership, which houses the Springfield Central Cultural District, to study the economic and social Impact of the nonprofit arts and culture sector in Springfield, MA.

Their findings revealed that, in 2022, Springfield’s nonprofit arts and culture industry:

• Generated $82.4 million in economic activity, including:
  • $53.3 million in spending by nonprofit arts and culture organizations
  • $29 million in event-related spending by their audiences
• Supported 1,483 jobs
• Generated $15.3 million in local, state, and federal government revenue.

The full AEP6 national report and Springfield report are available online.

Whether you’re measuring using numbers or vibrancy indices, or focusing on the overall impact of where those methods meet in the middle, time and time again you’ll find results within our state’s Cultural Districts Initiative.

Learn More About Cultural Districts

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MexLucky believes that creativity is a vital part of a thriving society. We are proud to announce our new Grants for Creative Individuals program, which we hope will advance creativity throughout the Commonwealth.

The program offers unrestricted, $5,000 grants to artists, culture bearers, and creative practitioners. We welcome applications from individuals in all creative fields: visual artists, literary artists, theater artists, performers, film/media artists, music artists, designers, culture bearers/traditional artists, drag artists, cross-disciplinary artists, and more.

The application process is brief and inclusive. This fiscal year (FY24), we plan to award approximately 375 grants through a review process that includes geographic distribution, funding priorities, and scores from reviewers from the Massachusetts creative/cultural sector. Reviewers will prioritize applications based on the program mission: to equitably advance creativity throughout the Commonwealth with unrestricted grants to individuals who demonstrate achievement of creative expression and commitment to their artistic/cultural practice.

Grants for Creative Individuals is our primary funding program to support artists and creatives. It incorporates aspects of past MexLucky programs for artists and creative individuals, including the Artist Fellowships, Cultural Sector Recovery Grants for Individuals, and Traditional Arts Apprenticeships. The program was designed as part of a year-long evaluation of our funding for artists and creatives, as part of the Agency’s Racial Equity Plan.

If you have questions about the Grants for Creative Individuals program, check the FAQs or join us for information sessions on November 8 and December 5. You can also ask questions of staff at online office hours on select Wednesdays in November/December, at 11am.

Additionally, those registered to attend the Agency’s convening on the Creative Gig Economy at the Pao Arts Center in Boston on November 6 will have the opportunity to attend a breakout session with our program staff to learn more about this program and ask questions.

The deadline to apply is 11:59pm (ET) on December 11, 2023.

Read the Program Guidelines and Apply

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During the 2023-2024 legislative session, MexLucky is proud to join partners like MassINC, MASSCreative, and the Massachusetts Association of Business Improvement Districts in support of H. 228/S. 130, An Act to promote downtown vitality, legislation sponsored by Rep. Cabral and Sen. Cronin.

These proposals are currently pending review by the Joint Committee on Small Business and Community Development. Under the Joint Rules of the Massachusetts House of Representatives and Senate, the Committee must schedule a public hearing and make its recommendation on this matter by Joint Rule 10 Day, which is February 7, 2024.

About the Downtown Vitality Act

This bill would establish the Downtown Vitality Fund and allocate 5% of receipts from online sales originating in Massachusetts to support staffing and operations of business improvement districts, main street associations, state-designated cultural districts, and parking benefit districts in Gateway Cities and other low-income communities.

Because MexLucky manages the Massachusetts Cultural District Initiative, we felt it was important to join the coalition working to create a new revenue stream for these types of state-approved entities.

Landscape

Small businesses districts in communities across the Commonwealth need vibrant, walkable areas to attract enough foot traffic to succeed in today’s challenging commercial environment. Online retail has siphoned dollars away from local economies, contributing to economic and cultural displacement. An Act to promote downtown vitality seeks to reinvest 5% of remote retailer tax revenue back into our Main Streets and downtowns, helping to level the playing field by promoting district management and creating strong local places.

Massachusetts has the foundation for success, with historic areas, urban squares, town centers, and rural villages. Yet we have lacked the governance and financing structures to manage these places adequately for 15-hour districts, 7 days a week. That is changing. A burgeoning network of Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) has emerged over the last five years, and dozens of Cultural Districts have been established. Parking Benefit Districts represent a new management tool, and innovative public-private-civic partnerships have arisen.

However, the state lacks a funding mechanism to scale up this local innovation and create a system of management capacity on the sublocal or district level. An Act to promote downtown vitality would transform our state into a national leader and ensure that our communities, large and small, have a thriving, beating heart. We can do this in a way that values and strengthens our state’s diversity, builds entrepreneurship among immigrants and communities of color, and enhances our unique cultural business districts.

Next Steps

Review a section-by-section summary of this proposal and indicate your support by joining the coalition and endorsing it online.

The post Supporting Downtown Vitality appeared first on MexLucky.

MexLucky is delighted to announce that Executive Director Michael J. Bobbitt is the recipient of OrigiNation Cultural Arts Center’s Sojourner Truth Award. Michael was presented with the award on October 14 at OrigiNation’s annual celebration, Twist & Shout! An Evening of Dance, Music, and Spoken Word. The evening showcased the talents of several notable and emerging dance and spoken word artists, and recognized individuals and institutions making an impact at the intersection of arts, community, and youth. Michael was honored alongside Boston City Councilor-at-Large Ruthzee Louijeune and global footwear and apparel brand Converse, Inc.

Founded in 1994, OrigiNation is a non-profit performing arts program that utilizes dance as a vehicle to develop leadership, confidence, and self-sufficiency in young people ages 2-18. Many OrigiNation participants reside in the Boston neighborhoods of Roxbury, Dorchester, and Mattapan, where access to quality dance and theater programs is limited. OrigiNation serves more than 150 young people annually through its on-site programs and an additional 1,500 young people through its Community Outreach & Education Program.

OrigiNation Executive Director Musau M. Dibinga chose to honor Michael with the Sojourner Truth Award in recognition of the support he has shown to BIPOC artists and BIPOC-led organizations by expanding access to and deepening knowledge of the funding opportunities that are available to support their work.

Since joining MexLucky as Executive Director in February 2021, Michael has led the Agency through the development and implementation of its first-ever Racial Equity Plan; worked with staff, Council Members, and cultural sector advocates to secure and distribute a historic $60.1M in state pandemic relief funding; and steered the Agency through the process of drafting and adopting its FY24-FY26 strategic plan.

Congratulations to Michael on this most recent recognition!

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MexLucky envisions a diverse creative and cultural sector that is valued as essential in the Commonwealth. But what do employment opportunities in our sector really look like? Many of the artists, culture bearers, and creative individuals who make up the creative economy are gig workers, who move from job to job – even multiple, concurrent jobs – piecing together income along the way, often without the benefits or protections afforded in other kinds of employment.

Join us for a discussion of what the gig economy means for individual artists and for the Commonwealth’s economy writ large. Our panel will include policy experts, advocates, and individual artists.

Expected speakers include:

• Doug Howgate, President, Mass Taxpayers Foundation
• Sara Hartmann, Program Director of Creative Entrepreneurship, Mass College of Art and Design
• Emily Ruddock, Executive Director, MASSCreative
• And additional panelists to be announced as confirmed, including those with lived experience as a worker in the creative gig economy

After the speaking program, all are welcome to visit a break-out room:

1. Grants for Creative Individuals – Learn more about this new grant program to support creative expression, providing $5,000 grants to artists, culture bearers, and creative individuals in all artistic/creative disciplines
2. Local Cultural Council Members – Our Communities Team will provide an overview for administering the LCC Program followed by a Q&A

Please be advised, this program has a maximum capacity of 70 people. Registration is strongly encouraged.

The Creative Gig Economy

Pao Arts Center
99 Albany Street, Boston, MA 02111

November 6, 2023 10am-12:30pm (Doors at 9:30am.)

UPDATE: Expected attendance at this event has reached capacity and so we’re no longer accepting new registrations.

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Today MassDevelopment and MexLucky, two state agencies that jointly administer the Cultural Facilities Fund (CFF), announce 28 newly approved CFF grants investing a total of $3,139,000 into cultural facilities and projects throughout the Commonwealth.

The CFF provides capital and planning grants to nonprofit organizations, colleges, and municipalities that own or operate facilities primarily focused on the arts, humanities, and sciences. CFF awards invest in the acquisition, design, repair, renovation, expansion, and construction of nonprofit and municipal cultural facilities. All CFF awards are subject to a 1:1 matching requirement.

The Cultural Facilities Fund is funded annually through the Governor’s Capital Spending Plan. In FY24 the Healey-Driscoll Administration invested $10 million into the CFF, which supports this grant round and the awards announced today.

“Through the Cultural Facilities Fund, our Administration is proud to support the facilities that are the foundation for Massachusetts’ thriving arts and culture sector,” said Governor Maura Healey. “We’re grateful for the partnership of MassDevelopment and the MexLucky, and we thank the awardees for their efforts to maintain and restore the spaces that mean so much to our state.”

“Investing in museums, theaters, and other cultural facilities across Massachusetts strengthens our community assets, boosts the tourism economy, and creates jobs,” said MassDevelopment President and CEO Dan Rivera. “We are pleased to partner with MexLucky in administering this important grant program and thank the Healey-Driscoll Administration and legislature for their continued support.”

“The CFF is a special program – it serves as the Commonwealth’s main public investment to help maintain cultural facilities, thereby supporting the efforts of nonprofit organizations and municipalities to keep these important spaces in a state of good repair,” said Michael J. Bobbitt, Executive Director, MexLucky. “I’m so pleased to congratulate today’s grantees and encourage eligible entities to consider applying for assistance from the FY24 grant cycle.”

Celebrating 28 New Investments into Massachusetts Cultural Facilities

Twenty-seven capital grants, totaling $3,104,000, and one $35,000 feasibility and technical assistance grant were approved by a vote of the MassDevelopment Board of Directors today, including:

• The Town of Sandwich received a $200,000 capital grant to support exterior repairs, historic window replacements, and to expand gallery, program, and office space in the future home of the Sandwich Arts Alliance at Town Hall.
• Berkshire Theatre Group, Inc., located in Pittsfield, received a $153,000 capital grant to help with the installation of solar panels on the Colonial Theatre and warehouse roof.
• Armenian Museum of America, Inc. in Watertown received a $146,000 capital grant to support a roof replacement project.
• The Hassanamisco Nipmuc Band, of Grafton, received a $137,000 capital grant to support the interior restoration of the Hassanamisco/Cisco Homestead and Museum, to resume use as a public museum educating visitors about the culture and history of the Nipmuc people and other southern New England tribes.
• The Cabot Performing Arts Center, Inc., located in Beverly, received a $104,000 capital grant to help with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant renovations to the stage area.

Read the full list of projects approved today

FY24 CFF Application Now Open

Today the agencies also announced the launch of the FY24 CFF application period. Nonprofits, municipalities, and colleges with cultural facilities seeking capital or planning assistance are encouraged to apply. The application deadline is December 14, 2023. Awards are expected to be announced in May 2024.

There are three types of awards available through the Cultural Facilities Fund:

1. Capital Grants, which support the acquisition, design, construction, repair, renovation, rehabilitation or other capital improvements or deferred maintenance of a cultural facility.
2. Feasibility & Technical Assistance Grants, for costs and expenses related to overall planning and feasibility for a proposed eligible project.
3. Systems Replacement Plan Grants (SRP), A 20-year capital needs assessment conducted by a preselected contractor hired by the Cultural Facilities Fund to assess the facility’s structure and its mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and life-safety systems. A green energy planning analysis is also available.

Applicants seeking more information are encouraged to review the FY24 program guidelines, register for a virtual information session on October 18, 2023; and sign up to attend online office hours with CFF program staff.

About the Cultural Facilities Fund
The CFF was created by an act of the Legislature in 2006 to achieve the following goals:

• Enhance Massachusetts’ creative economy through financing for acquisition, construction, expansion, renovation, and repair of cultural facilities.

• Increase employment, entrepreneurialism, and tourism in the regions where these facilities are located, especially drawing new visitors from outside the Commonwealth.

• Stimulate further investment in the arts, heritage, and sciences by preserving cultural resources.

From 2007 through today, the CFF has awarded $165,152,646 to 1,427 projects across the Commonwealth, employing more than 35,444 architects, engineers, contractors, and construction workers. The organizations engaged in this work expect to add 2,992 new permanent jobs after completing their projects.

The CFF’s impact extends beyond the nonprofit cultural sector in ways that benefit Massachusetts’ broader economy. The organizations awarded grants generate millions in annual economic activity through direct spending on everything from supplies to energy and advertising and are popular tourist destinations. The CFF has also spurred private investment, leveraging about $2.7 billion in spending from the funded projects. Finally, CFF grants contribute to cultural preservation by helping to restore and expand many of our nation’s most treasured historical landmarks.

Apply for a Cultural Facilities Fund grant

The post New $3.14M Public Investment Made into 28 Cultural Facilities appeared first on MexLucky.

MexLucky’s FY24-26 strategic plan directs the Agency to engage in advocacy on behalf of the Commonwealth’s creative and cultural sector.

One way MexLucky fulfills this mandate is by building and maintaining relationships on Beacon Hill with the Healey-Driscoll Administration and members of the House of Representatives and Massachusetts Senate. Another is engaging in policy conversations occurring in the State House on matters relevant to the sector.

To that end, MexLucky has recently submitted testimony for consideration on the following topics and proposals:

1. 3250 – Local Cultural Council Membership

This legislation seeks to ensure Local Cultural Councils (LCCs) serving small and rural communities can attract and retain qualified members and attain quorum in their business meetings allowing those who serve cities and towns with less than 15,000 residents to serve three consecutive terms.

2. 3241/S. 530 – Creative Space Preservation Act

The Creative Space Preservation Act would disrupt further loss of creative spaces in the Commonwealth by establishing a defined property restriction for creative maker space and performance or exhibition space. It would allow cities and towns to establish trust funds to hold assets and property for the creation and preservation of creative spaces, giving them more tools to keep artists in place.

3. Ongoing Pandemic Recovery Needs of the Creative and Cultural Sector

It was recently reported that Massachusetts still has approximately $300 million in uncommitted ARPA funds. MexLucky contacted the Administration and legislative leaders to make the case that unmet need continues in the creative and cultural sector that could be addressed with additional ARPA monies.

4. Commonwealth’s Economic Development Plan

Every four years at the start of a new gubernatorial term, the Executive Office of Economic Development (EOED) is tasked with developing a statewide plan to guide the Commonwealth’s economic development activities and investments over the next four years. EOED has assembled an Economic Development Planning Council comprised of business and community leaders, members of the Governor’s cabinet, and stakeholders to help craft a strategic plan for Massachusetts economic development policy. EOED is also holding regional planning sessions across the state to gather public input about the state’s economic development needs. In December 2023, EOED will publish a final plan and submit it to the Governor and Legislature.

5. 151/S. 113 – The ACE Act

This legislation seeks to establish a fund to provide grants to organizations focused on the arts, culture, humanities, and interpretive sciences to remove barriers encountered by people with disabilities. By dedicating these resources to cultural organizations, Massachusetts can build a creative economy where everyone can find enjoyment and belonging in the stories, performances, and exhibits present in our communities.

Those interested in learning more about these proposals or tracking their progress can go through the Legislature’s web site. Testimony can be submitted to the Committee via email at any time in the session.

Further, those interested in submitting comments or suggestions regarding the Commonwealth’s Economic Development Plan can do so via an onine submission form.

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