Bethann Steiner, Senior Director of Public Affairs
Mass Cultural Council is pleased to celebrate our Charles G. Baldwin, Program Officer for Access & Inclusion and the Universal Participation (UP) Initiative, who recently received the 2024 Nicole A. Ally Award from Abilities Dance Boston (ADB).
Charles was chosen to receive this award for his dedication to accessibility for ADB and the deaf/disabled community throughout Massachusetts. It was presented to him on August 11, 2024 during ADB’s brunch gathering in South Boston. A Mass Cultural Council staff member for 9 years, Charles has turned his passion for matters of access and accessibility into a powerful body of knowledge, leading by example and providing his invaluable expertise to the creative and cultural sector.
Known and recognized throughout the sector for his careful and passionate years of stewardship of the UP Initiative, Charles’ work at Mass Cultural Council is focused on advancing the core principles of inclusion, diversity, equity, and access across the creative and cultural sector.
Abilities Dance Boston seeks to disrupt antiquated ableist beliefs and disseminate the value of inclusion through dance. Led by Executive Director Ellice Patterson, who also serves on the Agency’s governing Council, ADB was honored with Mass Cultural Cuncil’s UP Award in 2020. The Ally Award is named after Nicole Agois, an arts administrator, educator, and musician who also serves as the Managing Director at Open Door Arts. From 2018-2022 she served as Chair of the Board of Directors at Abilities Dance.
When asked to describe why Charles was recognized by Abilities Dance, Ellice noted:
“As much as we are disabled led and largely identify as disabled in our organization, we realize that we cannot do this work alone. Our allies are important to speak with us in spaces where we can’t access and continue to build accessibility. Charles exemplifies that role proudly through the work he has done with the UP Initiative and beyond as a proud supporter and worker with the deaf/disabled community. This award was presented not just because of his work with ADB, but his work across the Commonwealth.”
Please join us in congratulating Charles for this recognition!