01.12.2026

Rooted in Purpose, Looking Ahead

David T. Slatery, Acting Executive Director

I write to wish you a very Happy New Year. The Massachusetts cultural sector saw remarkable momentum in 2025 and — thanks to our supporters throughout the Commonwealth — the Agency is now halfway through its largest-ever fiscal cycle!

To date, in Fiscal Year 2026:

• Mass Cultural Council has approved 1,673 grants totaling $20,594,250.
  • Awards have been made to recipients located in 339 of the state’s 351 cities and towns.
  • This public investment into arts and culture is reaching 97% of Massachusetts communities — and we’re not yet done, as our staff is still working diligently on the FY26 cycles for Grants for Creative Individuals, Gaming Mitigation Fund, and Cultural Facilities Fund.
• We have convened 91 events so far this year (in-person and virtual), reaching thousands of artists, organizations, partners, and community members, with 5,724 total registrations across virtual office hours, information sessions, Spotlight Series webinars, and in-person celebrations and briefings.
• We have established several new, cross-sector partnerships with public and private partners to increase general awareness about the value of the cultural sector in Massachusetts, with the end goal of creating new economic opportunities for creative individuals and cultural organizations.

As you may know after former Executive Director Michael Bobbitt’s departure on December 31, I was appointed Acting Executive Director by our governing Council. The Agency’s governing Council will undertake a search process for a new executive director, and throughout that process I and Agency staff will be here and available to serve you.

We are aware of potential approaching headwinds – concerns about economic trends and future state budgets, and disturbing pronouncements and policy changes out of Washington, DC, but we know that the nearly $30 billion in economic activity and 130,000 jobs hosted statewide by the cultural sector makes us a key pillar of the Massachusetts economy (4% of the GDP!).

I want to personally assure every one of our stakeholders that our work and our commitments are ongoing – and will continue unabated. Whether delivering grants and high-quality services, developing new partnerships to benefit cultural organizations and artists, or making sure our public resources are deployed carefully, efficiently, and equitably, our work carries on.

We know we have a strong and resilient sector, rich in creativity, an essential skill for problem-solving and coveted by most employers, supported by committed partners and advocates, and rooted in a state that values the arts as an essential part of life. Together I’m sure we’ll weather any storms that come. We are excited, unwaveringly focused, and we look forward to working with you in the New Year.

Ever onward.