Dawn Heinen, Digital Communications Manager
A regular report on our equity work
Since 2021, with the launch of our first-ever Racial Equity Plan (and subsequent equity plans), Mass Cultural Council has been working on internal and external steps we can take to support and encourage an anti-racist, equitable, and inclusive cultural sector in the Commonwealth. As part of our equity work, the Agency has committed to sharing our progress on this work regularly:
EQUITY PLAN IMPLEMENTATION
- Public Affairs is continuing its outreach to new communities and audiences through an ongoing media partnership with Spanish-language outlet El Planeta. Through this engagement initiative we are developing original, culturally sensitive content in Spanish, and distributing it across El Planetaʼs channels to promote grant opportunities and convenings to their readership. A few examples:
- The Native American and Indigenous People’s Advisory Committee is meeting for the first time on November 17 at the Herring Pond Wampanoag Meetinghouse.
- The Disability Advisory Committee met twice at the end of FY25. Their first meeting of FY26 took place online on November 5.
SECTOR EDUCATION, SERVICES & ACHIEVEMENT
- Public Affairs hosted a Spotlight Series webinar with Open Door Arts in October to brief the sector about the new Arts & Culture Accessibility Hub. Mass Cultural Council is a proud sponsor of the Access Hub and Open Door Arts was a guest presenter during the Council’s October meeting.
- To ensure applicants understand FY26 program guidelines and have access to program staff, Public Affairs and various program teams have partnered to host virtual information sessions, with both ASL interpretation and live captioning for attendees. Additionally, as in previous fiscal years, program guidelines are published online in both written and audio form, and staff is available to quickly respond to further accessibility or translation requests.
PROGRAMS
- We will hold a celebration of the Tribal Cultural Council Program and their FY25 grantees on November 17 at the Herring Pond Wampanoag Meetinghouse after the Native American and Indigenous People’s Advisory Committee meeting. In FY26, we were pleased to announce that a 4th Tribal Cultural Council joined the program. The Mâseepee Cultural Council joined the Aquinnah Wampanoag Cultural Council, the Herring Pond Wampanoag Tribe Cultural Council (HPWTCC), and the Nipmuc/k Cultural Council, offering a grant cycle in FY26.
- FY26 grantmaking continues to include an emphasis on increasing diversity, equity, inclusion, and access. Programs continue to prioritize historically marginalized and under-resourced communities as we did in FY25.
- Universal Participation office hours take place monthly to promote access to cultural organizations across the state. Upcoming office hours include: