08.27.2026

Mass Cultural Council Adopts $35M FY27 Spending Plan

Christian Kelly, Public Relations & Events Manager

Budget | Press Release

New investments to strengthen and sustain the arts, humanities, and sciences across the Commonwealth

Today, Mass Cultural Council’s governing body unanimously adopted the Agency’s Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27) spending plan, allocating $35 million in public funds to bolster and advance the Commonwealth’s cultural sector through grants, initiatives, cross-sector partnerships, and advocacy. Over the course of this fiscal year, the Agency expects to award at least 2,300 grants, across several programs, totaling nearly $28 million.

“Public investment in arts and culture remains essential to the strength and vitality of the Commonwealth,” said David T. Slatery, Acting Executive Director, Mass Cultural Council. “This spending plan will guide Mass Cultural Council’s efforts to support the people, organizations, and communities that make Massachusetts a dynamic place to live, work and create. We are making a statement that arts, culture, and creativity are central to a thriving Commonwealth and a successful economy.”

The FY27 spending plan is the roadmap by which Mass Cultural Council will offer financial, programmatic, and technical support to its various stakeholders, including cultural organizations, businesses, and collaboratives; artists, creative individuals, and culture bearers; educational and creative youth development programs; and cities, towns, and Native American and Indigenous communities.

The spending plan is funded primarily through public dollars, including the Agency’s record high $28,106,072 FY27 state budget appropriation. This is supplemented by approximately $1.2 million the Agency expects to receive from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and an estimated $5 million in state casino tax revenues.

“Mass Cultural Council is deeply grateful to Governor Healey, Lt. Governor Driscoll, and our partners in the Massachusetts Legislature for recognizing the vital role of arts and culture in the Commonwealth,” said Slatery. “The spending plan responsibly stewards this unprecedented level of funding to ensure the sector can continue to grow, innovate, and bring arts and culture to every single county, city and town in Massachusetts.”

Earlier this year, the Agency’s governing body extended the existing Strategic Plan through FY28. The spending plan adopted today reflects the goals and priorities outlined there and in the Agency’s, Racial, d/Deaf & Disability, and Native American & Indigenous People’s Equity Plans – all of which are consistent with federal civil rights law.

“I appreciate the thoughtful partnership of my fellow Council members in developing this year’s spending plan,” said Ché Anderson, Chair, Mass Cultural Council. “Our vote today reflects a shared understanding of the importance of investing in this vibrant economic sector, and the responsibility that comes with allocating public resources.”

“None of this work happens without the Agency’s talented and dedicated staff,” said Jo-Ann Davis, Vice-Chair, Mass Cultural Council. “Their expertise, care, and commitment are what turn the Council’s priorities and this spending plan into meaningful actions. I am proud of the staff’s commitment to building on their work year-over-year, strengthening partnerships, and ensuring that these resources have the greatest possible impact on our sector.”

The Commonwealth’s Fiscal Year 2027 spans from July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027.

FY27 Spending Plan Highlights

Communities

This year, Mass Cultural Council will invest $5,850,000 into the Local Cultural Council (LCC) Program, the nation’s largest public grassroots cultural funding network. This is a 2.6% increase over FY26. The state’s 329 LCCs provide grants to every community in Massachusetts through the efforts of more than 2,500 volunteers. They support community-based projects in the arts, humanities, and sciences—including murals, lectures, festivals, and performances.

Each of the 58 state-designated Cultural Districts will again receive a $15,000 Cultural District Investment grant, as they continue to work with Mass Cultural Council staff to come into compliance with the updated program guidelines. Additionally, the Agency will accept applications for new Cultural District designations this year. (Newly-designated Cultural Districts will be eligible to receive Investment grants beginning in FY28.)

Through the Tribal Cultural Council (TCC) Program, four TCCs will each receive $17,800 to regrant in support of activities and programming that benefit their tribal communities. Currently, TCCs exist within the Aquinnah Wampanoag Tribe, Herring Pond Wapanoag Tribe, Mâsseepee Tribe, and Nipmuc/k Tribe.

Artists & Creatives

Mass Cultural Council will again offer Grants for Creative Individuals in FY27. This program equitably advances creative expression throughout the Commonwealth through unrestricted $5,000 grants to Massachusetts artists, culture bearers, and creative practitioners. The spending plan allocates $2,450,000 allowing for up to 490 grants to be made through this program, the largest number of awards available in the program’s history.

We will also continue to support Regie Gibson as the Commonwealth’s Poet Laureate with a $25,000 stipend, allowing him to continue working throughout the state to spread the appreciation of poetry and creative expression.

The Agency will continue to host HireCulture.org, our widely referenced creative employment job site, as well as curate and publish weekly Artist Opportunities on the ArtSake blog, which showcases the creative, innovative work of Massachusetts artists.

Organizations

This year, Mass Cultural Council will invest a combined total of $7,350,000 into Operating Grants for Organizations and Cultural Investment Portfolio (CIP), providing cultural nonprofits with unrestricted organizational support. This is a $150,000 increase in funding being awarded through these programs over FY26. The Agency continues to sunset the CIP program and will open a new round of available funding through Operating Grants for Organizations later this year.

The Agency will continue to support other programming and activities that incorporate the arts, humanities, and/or interpretive sciences through Creative Experiences grants. In FY27, $3,442,500 has been allocated to make 738 grants through this program.

Additionally, we expect to award approximately $3.5 million ​in Gaming Mitigation Fund assistance to nonprofit and performing arts centers. These grants, funded with casino tax revenue dollars, are used to help with the cost of touring artist fees, as mandated by state law.

Youth

This year, Mass Cultural Council will invest $1,950,000 into Creative Youth Development (CYD) programs through YouthReach grants. This will be the first year of funding to be awarded under a new application process that opened last spring.

The Agency will also continue supporting quality youth programming in the arts, humanities, and/or interpretive sciences through:

• Youth Arts Impact Network (YAIN) – an ongoing partnership with EdVestors to support CYD organizations. Mass Cultural Council will continue this partnership to promote the success of the CYD community.
• Poetry Out Loud – a poetry recitation program of the National Endowment for the Arts, operated through a partnership between Mass Cultural Council the Huntington Theatre Company’s Education Department.

Equity, Inclusion, and Access

Mass Cultural Council will again award $5,000 grants through the Universal Participation (UP) Initiative’s Innovation Fund to the 93 cultural organizations that have earned an UP Designation. And this year the Agency is finalizing the revised program guidelines and anticipates accepting new applications for UP Designation next year.

The Agency will continue to support the work of Open Door Arts and their Arts & Culture Accessibility Hub, which launched last year with a $100,000 investment. This funding will enable coordinated support across the Hub and related services offered through the platform.

Cross-Sector Strategic Partnerships

Beyond grantmaking, Mass Cultural Council is committed to advancing awareness of the cultural sector’s significant economic impact in Massachusetts – nearly $30 billion annually, or 4% of the state’s economy – and highlighting the value of collaboration between creative practitioners and leaders across other sectors. Through these cross-sector strategic partnerships, the Agency is working to establish new economic opportunities for artists, cultural organizations, and creative workers while strengthening connections between the cultural sector and the broader Commonwealth.

Throughout FY27, Mass Cultural Council will further its Advancement & Strategic Partnerships goals through various initiatives, including:

• Working with partners to define, measure, and integrate the creative economy into the existing decision-making data sets across sectors.
• Hosting a convening to highlight the benefits of cross-sector partnerships and their impacts.
• Explore the feasibility of establishing a public-private investment vehicle to complement and maximize existing public and private grant opportunities and ultimately become a permanent source of capital for the cultural sector.

Mass Cultural Council will launch its programs and initiatives throughout the fiscal year. To stay up to date on funding opportunities, sign up to receive the Agency’s monthly Power of Culture e-newsletter or follow @MassCultural on social media.

To learn more about the Agency’s previous investments in the power of culture in your community, review our comprehensive FY26 Funding Lists detailing grant awards by legislative district and county.

 

Download FY27 Spending Plan Presentation

Budget | Press Release