Power of Culture Blog
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Bethann Steiner, Senior Director of Public Affairs
This technical change to the statute seeks to ensure the CFF can invest in the state of good repair of all eligible municipal, nonprofit and tribal cultural facilities
During the 2025-2026 legislative session Mass Cultural Council is working with state Senator Paul Mark (D- Becket) on a new legislative proposal, SD2045, An Act clarifying eligibility to the Massachusetts Cultural Facilities Fund.
Senator Mark, who represents the largest geographic district in the Massachusetts Legislature, is a leader on Beacon Hill on many issues, including rural challenges and arts and culture. Last session he served as the House Chair of the Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts, and Cultural Development. This bill compliments both interests well.
SD2045 is a very narrow technical correction to the Cultural Facilities Fund statute, tailored to ensure access to the program for tribal governments and municipalities across Massachusetts.
Today, state law requires municipal cultural facilities to either be a certain size or age in order to receive a CFF grant:
“Municipally owned buildings, structures or sites must be a minimum of 50,000 square feet in size, of which at least 50 per cent is used as a cultural facility; provided, however, that if such building, structure or site is 125 years old or older and is significant in the history, archeology, architecture or culture of the nation, the commonwealth or the community in which it is located, it may be of any size.”
By amending and streamlining the definition of a “cultural facility,” as it relates to municipal or tribal owned facilities, SD2045 ensures all primarily cultural facilities owned by either tribal governments or municipalities are eligible to receive CFF grants. Mass Cultural Council believes this update to the statute allows the program to function as it is expected to and will allow the CFF to support investments into public cultural facilities in communities of all sizes and across all regions of the Commonwealth.
Under SD2045, the law would be changed to define eligible municipal and tribal facilities as such:
“Municipally or tribal government owned buildings, structures, or sites of which at least 50 per cent is used as a cultural facility.”
An example: Last fall Senator Mark contacted Mass Cultural Council on behalf of the Tolland Cultural Council, who was interested in applying for a CFF grant to help with the costs associated with building a new 5,000 square foot pavilion to host cultural events and public convenings. Unfortunately, due to the existing 50,000 square foot size and 125 year old requirement for municipal cultural facilities in the statute, Tolland is currently unable to pursue a CFF grant to support this project.
Mass Cultural Council believes this narrow amendment to state law is beneficial to rural communities, smaller cultural facilities, and tribal cultural facilities. This change will promote accessibility and equity in the program and the investments it makes, and is consistent with the goals of the Agency’s Native American and Indigenous People’s Equity Plan.
Soon all timely filed bills, like SD2045, will be admitted, given a bill number, and assigned to a joint committee for review. Mass Cultural Council will closely monitor the status of this proposal throughout the legislative session and report on key milestones and important engagement opportunities.
This session Mass Cultural Council is also proud to be partnering with Rep. Mindy Domb on a second bill, HD2132, An Act advancing Massachusetts from STEM to STEAM.
