Michael J. Bobbitt, Executive Director
Reflections as I Transition from Mass Cultural Council
Over the past few weeks, as I’ve started to prepare for my transition to OPERA America, many people have reached out with kind words, questions about what’s ahead, and—underneath all of it—real love for the work we’ve built together. And while I’m incredibly excited for the future, I’ll admit: there’s been some sadness, too. Letting go of an organization you care deeply about is never simple.
But if you take away one message from me right now, let it be this:
Mass Cultural Council is strong.
The work will continue.
And it will continue because it has never rested on one person.
Every initiative we launched, every new partnership we forged, every step forward we took toward equity, access, and cross-sector collaboration happened because of the people of Mass Cultural Council. Nothing I pushed was done unilaterally or arbitrarily. Everything was co-created—thoughtfully, rigorously, and often joyfully—with a staff whose brilliance, ideas, thoroughness, enthusiasm, and commitment continue to amaze me.
I want to especially thank the senior team and Deputy Chief of Staff—Jen, Cathy, Bethann, and Ann—each of whom brought clarity, courage, and tremendous expertise to our collective work. And above all, I want to acknowledge David Slatery, my steady and trusted Deputy Director, who will assume the role of Acting Executive Director until the Council appoints a successor. Dave has been a champion, a challenger, a thought partner, and a clear-sighted guide. He has helped me see what I could not see and strengthened every idea I brought through the door. The staff took those ideas, expanded them, improved them, and operationalized them into the very muscle memory of the Agency. That work will continue—and it will grow.
The Future Is Stable, Strong, and Bright
What we have built together these last five years—expanding resources, championing equity, and serving communities in every corner of the Commonwealth—is not fragile. It is not temporary. It is a foundation strong enough to withstand transition, strong enough to evolve, and strong enough to keep pushing the cultural sector forward.
These values—equity, access, belonging, creativity—are not bound to any single leader. They live in the DNA of this Agency, reflected every day in the extraordinary public servants who carry out the work. This team will continue expanding access, reaching new communities, unlocking jobs and resources, and ensuring that every resident—regardless of race, identity, ability, income, or ZIP code—sees themselves reflected in and supported by our work.
And you can see that commitment clearly in the cross-sector collaborations we have built together.
A Cultural Agency Embedded Across the Commonwealth
What excites me most about the work ahead for Mass Cultural Council is not simply what we’ve accomplished, but the possibility created by the relationships we’ve built across state government. We’ve become a true collaborator in addressing the Commonwealth’s most pressing challenges—climate, housing, education, transportation, workforce, public health, and community vibrancy. These conversations are unlocking futures where creativity is at the table from the very beginning.
In climate and energy, our joint webinar with the Department of Energy Resources became the first step in imagining cultural organizations as leaders in decarbonization. Picture museums, theaters, and arts centers modeling green design, teaching climate literacy, and inspiring visitors not just through programming, but through the buildings themselves.
In early education, our work with the Department of Early Education and Care opened conversations about how cultural organizations and teaching artists could help address early childhood care gaps. We imagined how arts-centered early learning might support working families, nurture young children, and strengthen the creative foundations of the future workforce.
In K–12 education, our roles on the Statewide Graduation Council and the STEM Advisory Council helped advance the belief that creativity is not ornamental—it’s essential. These discussions are shaping new pathways where arts learning supports graduate readiness, innovation, and the talent pipeline that Massachusetts is famous for.
In housing, our collaborations with the Executive Office of Housing & Livable Communities and MassHousing include work on a 2026 statewide conference exploring how arts and culture can support healing, belonging, and community development in public housing. The vision here is profound: housing that doesn’t just shelter, but uplifts.
In labor and workforce development, our conversations with the Secretaries of Labor & Workforce Development, Education, and the Commonwealth Corporation underscored a remarkable fact: in 2023, the cultural sector was one of only two sectors with net worker inflows. This opens the door to coursework, training programs, and credentials that prepare creatives for the future—and help maintain Massachusetts’ place as a cultural and innovation leader.
Our ongoing collaboration with MassDOT and the MBTA opened an entire frontier of possibility for arts in transportation. From improving mural permitting, to envisioning art in rest stops, to embedding traffic-calming designs at dangerous intersections, to the idea of an MBTA lobby exhibition or transit museum—the conversations themselves revealed how deeply the arts can enhance daily life. Ideas like busking pilots at RMVs and stations, art-on-loan programs, new Cultural District highway signage, and partnerships with New York City’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) point toward a future where travel and creativity are intertwined.
With the Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance (DCAMM), we explored “percent for art” models that could shape public buildings for generations—embedding culture into the civic landscape in ways Massachusetts has never experienced.
Through work with the Mass Convention Center Authority, MassDOT, and the MBTA, we began envisioning how visual and performing arts could appear in highly trafficked public facilities—turning everyday spaces into moments of inspiration.
With Massport, the Live Music at Logan program gave Massachusetts musicians access to a global audience and allowed travelers to encounter our cultural vitality the moment they arrived in Boston.
In public health, our leadership in arts-based social prescribing inspired the Department of Public Health’s Springfield pilot, supporting seniors at risk of opioid misuse through creative prescriptions. I believe this work is the beginning of a national movement: creativity as care.
In tourism and economic development, the Executive Office of Economic Development and Mass Office of Travel and Tourism’s prioritization of Cultural Districts—combined with our collaboration on a potential live theater tax credit—will shape local economies and strengthen Massachusetts’ cultural draw. And I’m especially excited about our upcoming partnership with the Massachusetts Lodging Association and the Massachusetts Restaurant Association, where we are laying the groundwork for a statewide campaign encouraging hotels, restaurants, and other hospitality businesses to buy, display, and use art created by Massachusetts-based artists.
Imagine checking into a hotel where every piece of art was created by a Massachusetts artist—where the lobby, the dining spaces, and the guest rooms all reflect the creativity of our communities. Imagine restaurants showcasing local art on their walls, weaving it into their branding, and inviting performers into their lobbies and bars as part of the guest experience. This campaign has the potential to create a new pipeline of buyers for working artists while deepening the sense of place for residents and visitors alike. It is economic development, creative workforce support, and cultural branding all rolled into one—and it has enormous promise.
And finally, I am deeply grateful to colleagues across dozens of state agencies who served as peer reviewers in the redesign of the Cultural Districts Initiative. Their insights made the program stronger, more strategic, and more impactful for the cities and towns we serve.
All these partnerships—and many more—were possible because the Mass Cultural Council team was willing to think differently, build trust, and innovate far beyond the traditional boundaries of a state arts agency. What’s most exciting is that each of these conversations contains the seed of a system-changing initiative still to come.
These collaborations aren’t just accomplishments—they’re doorways. And Mass Cultural Council is more than ready to walk through them.
The Work Continues—and Will Go Even Further
Last week, someone working to bring arts prescribing to their employees told me that one of their relatives in a Massachusetts hospital had received a prescription to attend a concert as part of their treatment plan. I burst into tears.
This is the work.
This is what happens when a state agency thinks beyond grantmaking as its value proposition.
This is creativity woven into healthcare, well-being, and daily life.
Our statewide arts-based social prescribing program—the first of its kind in the country—is thriving and improving real lives. And it is just one example of how Mass Cultural Council has widened its lens and deepened its reach.
We have brought in more than $2 million in non-arts funding to support artists, nonprofits, and communities. We have formed partnerships with Medicare/Medicaid plans, DPH, the Opioid Relief Fund, Mass General Brigham, national research foundations, EOED, Massport, and more.
We have elevated creativity as a core 21st-century workforce skill through our collaborations across education, workforce development, higher-education, MassChallenge, and a major Massachusetts university (announcement coming soon!)
We are changing the game.
And the game will keep changing.
Leadership Will Be in Excellent Hands
The Governing Council will soon launch the search for the next Executive Director. In early December, they will vote to appoint David Slatery as Acting Executive Director. I could not be more confident in this choice.
Dave led the Agency through the 2020 transition—one of the most productive periods in our history—while navigating a global pandemic. He is seasoned, steady, pragmatic, and deeply respected. With Dave and this remarkable staff, the Agency will only accelerate its impact.
With Gratitude and Absolute Confidence
As I prepare for this next chapter, I carry with me certainty, not worry. The future of Mass Cultural Council is bright. The momentum is real. The staff is exceptional. And the work is nowhere near finished.
Everyone at Mass Cultural has surprised me, taught me, challenged me, and inspired me every single day. Together, over the last five years, we have taken this Agency to new heights. I leave knowing—with absolute confidence—that you will take it even higher.
With admiration, affection, and a heart full of gratitude,
