Massachusetts Artists Leaders Coalition

Artists leaders and artist-run groups addressing arts issues in Massachusetts

Baker Administration Releases $10 Million for Mass Cultural Facilities Fund

by MALC • June 27, 2016 • Issues, News

Last week, Lt. Governor Karyn Polito visited Worcester, MA to announce Governor Charlie Baker had authorized $10 million in new funding for the Massachusetts Cultural Facilities Fund (CFF) in Fiscal Year 2017.

From the Mass Cultural Council (MCC) Press Room:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 23, 2016

Contact: Gregory Liakos, MCC Communications Director, 617–858–2720

Lt. Governor Announces Release of $10 Million for Mass Cultural Facilities Fund

(Worcester, MA) — Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito announced today on behalf of the Baker-Polito Administration $10 million in new funding for the Massachusetts Cultural Facilities Fund (CFF) for the coming fiscal year.

That new investment from the state capital plan will ensure that CFF continues as a vital source of support for projects that stimulate economic opportunity and expand access to the arts, humanities, and sciences in communities across the Commonwealth.

“This is clearly something that’s working,” the Lt. Governor said of the CFF. “You’re investing in communities, and in every community there is culture and creativity that is worth support.”

The announcement came at a CFF reception to celebrate the most recent round of more than $1.5 million in new CFF grants in the Worcester region, part of $9.3 million statewide investment. The event took place at the former Telegram & Gazette building now being transformed into an urban arts center. Arts and cultural leaders from Central Mass were also joined by state Senate Majority Leader Harriette Chandler, Rep. Mary Keefe, and City Manager Edward Augustus, all of whom spoke of the impact of arts and culture in helping to revitalize downtown Worcester.

MassDevelopment and the Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC) jointly administer the CFF. The agencies will take draft guidelines to the CFF Advisory Committee, whose members are appointed by the Governor to provide oversight to the Fund’s operation. The agencies hope to share updated guidelines along with requests for new grant proposals in September. The grants will be supported through $10 million from the state’s fiscal year 2017 capital plan.

Since 2007, CFF has made 692 grants to 380 cultural organizations and communities to build, repair, and expand their facilities. It has supported projects across the state, in communities as diverse as Pittsfield and Provincetown. It has helped major tourist attractions like the Museum of Science, Plimoth Plantation, and Mass MoCA leverage millions of private dollars to draw more visitors to Massachusetts. These cultural institutions are major economic engines for the Commonwealth. According to a detailed survey conducted last October, Cultural Facilities Fund grantees:

• Attracted 28.2 million visitors. Of these, 34% traveled more than 50 miles.
• Provided 8,172 full-time jobs and $372 million in wages and salaries.
• Hired 19,030 architects, engineers, contractors and construction workers working on Cultural Facilities Fund projects.
• Created 1,958 new permanent jobs projected in Massachusetts as a result of Cultural Facilities Fund projects.

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