We believe in the power of culture.
Working through the arts, humanities, and sciences, culture is a dynamic force for enriching communities, growing the economy, increasing accessibility, and fostering individual creativity. Culture is intrinsically valuable and unique in its ability to lift the human spirit.
Our Mission
The Mass Cultural Council advances the Commonwealth’s creative and cultural sector by celebrating traditions and talents, championing its collective needs, and equitably investing public resources.
The Council pursues this mission through a wide range of grants, initiatives, and advocacy for artists, communities, organizations, and schools.
Our Values
Creativity
We believe that creativity is the key to solving many of society’s concerns and advancing this asset helps to make the Commonwealth a preeminent place in the nation for it to thrive.
Public Service
We serve the Commonwealth and all who live, work, visit, and play here by amplifying creativity, providing resources, expanding relationships, and championing transformational changes that maintain and grow a thriving creative and cultural ecosystem.
Inclusion
We work to build a diverse and equitable creative and cultural sector in the Commonwealth, ensuring that all who practice and participate in creative and cultural expression see themselves in it.
Our Vision
Mass Cultural Council envisions a diverse creative and cultural sector that is valued as essential in the Commonwealth.
Our Funding
Mass Cultural Council receives an annual appropriation from the state Legislature and funds from the National Endowment for the Arts, and others. Details on our budget are available online. In turn, Mass Cultural Council makes thousands of grants directly to cultural organizations, schools, communities, and individuals artists, through funding programs that use arts, science, and the humanities to build strong, diverse, livable communities. The beneficiaries of these programs comprise a cross-section of the population and citizens in each Massachusetts city and town.
Our Impact
There are few places in America as rich in arts and culture as Massachusetts. From Boston to the Berkshires, from Cape Ann to Cape Cod, our state boasts an array of exceptional cultural organizations, beautiful and distinctive communities, and thousands of talented artists and educators. Mass Cultural Council nurtures the creative life of Massachusetts. We help organizations grow and change. We help schools enrich students’ lives by weaving quality arts, humanities, and science programs into their curricula. We foster dialogue among cultural leaders on issues of shared importance, and make connections between artists and businesses. And we advocate on behalf of the cultural community–ensuring that arts, humanities, and sciences have a voice in discussions about the future of the Commonwealth and its communities.
Plans & Policies
As a state agency, the Mass Cultural Council participates in the Office of Performance Management & Oversight’s publication of agency performance measures. View Mass Cultural Council’s most recent Performance Measures.
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