State Legislature Recognizes October 2021 as National Arts & Humanities Month

Bethann Steiner, Public Affairs Director

Every year we proudly join cultural sector stakeholders in celebrating National Arts & Humanities Month throughout October. It has become the largest annual celebrations of arts and the humanities in the nation!

As explained by the National Association of State Arts Agencies (NASAA), since 1993, National Arts & History Month has provided millions of Americans the opportunity to explore new facets of the arts and humanities in their lives and has encouraged them to begin a lifelong habit of active participation. The four primary goals of National Arts & Humanities Month are to:

• Create a national, state, and local focus on the arts and humanities through the media
• Encourage the active participation of individuals, as well as arts, humanities, and other interested organizations nationwide
• Provide an opportunity for federal, state, and local business, government, and civic leaders to declare their support for the arts and humanities
• Establish a highly visible vehicle for raising public awareness about the arts and humanities

This year Mass Cultural Council joined with its partner organizations, Mass Humanities and MASSCreative to request the Massachusetts House of Representatives and Senate officially recognize October as National Arts & Humanities Month with a Joint Resolution. State Senator Ed Kennedy (D- Lowell) and State Representative Carole Fiola (D- Fall River), the Co-Chairs of the Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts & Cultural Development sponsored the Resolution, and secured co-sponsorship from more than half of their legislative colleagues! Our Resolution enjoyed the support of 102 legislators in total, 82 in the House and 20 in the Senate.

Together, Mass Cultural Council, Mass Humanities, and MASSCreative thank our partners on Beacon Hill for celebrating October as National Arts & Humanities Month with us!  We truly appreciate your friendship, leadership, and support.

Text of the Joint Resolution adopted by the House and Senate

COMMENDING ARTISTS, COMMUNITY GROUPS AND ORGANIZATIONS FOR CELEBRATING OCTOBER 2021 AS NATIONAL ARTS AND HUMANITIES MONTH.

WHEREAS, MANY ARTISTS, COMMUNITY GROUPS AND ORGANIZATIONS ARE CELEBRATING OCTOBER 2021 AS NATIONAL ARTS AND HUMANITIES MONTH; AND

WHEREAS, IN 1993, NATIONAL ARTS AND HUMANITIES MONTH WAS ESTABLISHED AND IS THE NATION’S LARGEST COLLECTIVE ANNUAL CELEBRATION OF THE CULTURAL SECTOR, BEING OBSERVED EVERY OCTOBER IN THE UNITED STATES TO ENCOURAGE AMERICANS TO EXPLORE NEW FACETS OF THE ARTS AND HUMANITIES IN THEIR LIVES; AND

WHEREAS, THE COMMONWEALTH HOSTS A VIBRANT CULTURAL SECTOR, COMPRISED OF THOUSANDS OF ARTISTS, HUMANISTS AND SCIENTISTS, AS WELL AS NONPROFIT, FOR-PROFIT AND MUNICIPAL ARTS, HUMANITIES AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS IN EVERY COMMUNITY; AND

WHEREAS, THE DIVERSITY OF ARTISTIC FORMS AND CULTURES IN THE COMMONWEALTH REFLECT THE DEPTH OF ITS RESIDENTS AND THE NEED FOR ALL CREATIVE FORMS AND CULTURES TO BE CELEBRATED AND EXPRESSED AND BECAUSE THROUGH THE ARTS AND HUMANITIES CAN WE ENRICH THE COMMUNITIES OF THE COMMONWEALTH WHILE GROWING THE ECONOMY, INCREASING ACCESSIBILITY AND FOSTERING INDIVIDUAL CREATIVITY FOR ALL; AND

WHEREAS, THE POWER OF CULTURE IS INTRINSICALLY VALUABLE AND UNIQUE IN ITS ABILITY TO LIFT THE HUMAN SPIRIT AND ALL CITIZENS OF THE COMMONWEALTH ARE ENCOURAGED TO EXPLORE THE ARTS AND HUMANITIES IN THEIR LIVES AND BEGIN A LIFELONG HABIT OF PARTICIPATION IN CULTURAL ACTIVITIES AND EXPERIENCES; NOW THEREFORE BE IT

RESOLVED, THAT THE MASSACHUSETTS SENATE HEREBY COMMENDS ARTISTS, COMMUNITY GROUPS AND ORGANIZATIONS CELEBRATING OCTOBER 2021 AS NATIONAL ARTS AND HUMANITIES MONTH AND THANKS ALL CREATIVE AND CULTURAL WORKERS, ORGANIZATIONS AND ENTITIES FOR THEIR VALUABLE COMMITMENT TO THE COMMONWEALTH; AND BE IT FURTHER

RESOLVED THAT A COPY OF THESE RESOLUTIONS BE TRANSMITTED FORTHWITH BY THE CLERK OF THE SENATE TO ARTISTS, COMMUNITY GROUPS AND ORGANIZATIONS CELEBRATING OCTOBER 2021 AS NATIONAL ARTS AND HUMANITIES MONTH.