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Nurturing the economy as well as the soul
BY CAMILLE DODERO
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Massachusetts legislators tend to regard arts and cultural affairs as the hot-fudge sundaes of the budgetary diet — fatty, inessential treats best left for last. And so, whenever a tightening economy forces lawmakers to trim the budget, they immediately look to the arts as an excessive indulgence — hence last year’s 62 percent slash in funding for the Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC), an organization that redistributes state grant money to artists and local cultural councils. But arts advocates say it shouldn’t be that way. "Cultural resources in Massachusetts should be on the main plate," argues Dan Hunter, executive director of the Massachusetts Advocates for the Arts, Sciences & Humanities (MAASH). A nonprofit created in 1992 in response to devastating cuts in arts programs, MAASH wants to "change the perception of arts and culture in Massachusetts." As Hunter explains, "Arts may not be the meat and potatoes, but we’re the vegetables. We’re good for you." And MAASH may be closer than ever to convincing Bay State pols of the pivotal role the arts play in the local market. Last Thursday, the Massachusetts Senate approved Bill 2131, an economic-incentive package that included $1 million for the MCC. In addition to allotting desperately needed money to the MCC, this legislation would demonstrate acceptance of the notion that investing in arts and culture can actually foster financial growth, propel tourism, and help generate jobs — something creative types have been arguing for years. Case in point: the New England Council reported in 2000 that the arts sustained 3.5 percent of New England’s total job base — more than the software or medical-technology fields — and accounted for $6.6 billion in "cultural tourism." "If you’re looking at economic development, you have to look at what your state has that no other state has," reasons Hunter. "If you look at Colorado, they have the Rocky Mountains and the ski industry. If you look at Iowa, they have flatland for corn, soybeans, and hogs. What Massachusetts has is this incredible network of educational institutions and cultural organizations that are infinite in range — many of them are world-class, like the MFA and the Boston Symphony. So the point we make to legislators is, when you look at economic development, you have to look at strengthening arts and culture." Either way, Hunter thinks he’s been able to enlighten lawmakers that the arts are not just surplus. "I’ll sit in a legislator’s office, and when I tell them about the number of jobs these organizations have, they’re surprised," says Hunter. "When I say to legislators, ‘What would you invest to bring an industry to Massachusetts that employs nearly 40,000 people in all 351 cities and towns — one that doesn’t pollute, contributes to education, and doesn’t threaten to leave if they don’t get a tax break or a new stadium?’ I suggest that it would be far more than the $7.3 million that they’re currently investing in arts."
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