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Episode 427: How States Are Planning the 250th: Commemorating the American Revolution in 2026
Episode 426: Michael Wise, Beyond the First Thanksgiving: Indigenous Agriculture and the Hidden Science of Native Foodways
Episode 425: Ken Burns’ The American Revolution
Episode 424: Andrew Lawler, Dunmore’s Proclamation & the American Revolution in Virginia
Episode 423: Zara Anishanslin, The Forgotten Artists of the American Revolution
Beyond the Commonwealth
Episode 436: Matthew Keagle, Fort Ticonderoga & Henry Knox’s Noble Train of Artillery
Episode 435: Common Sense at 250: The Unfinished Work of Democracy, A Live Conversation
How are Anthropologists Preparing for the 250th?
Episode 434: Shirley Green, The Frank Brothers: Freeborn Black Soldiers in the American Revolution
Opposing Censorship: AASLH and Coalition Sue U.S. Department of the Interior
Historian Anika Lopes on archives, oral history, and Black history
In February, we hosted a workshop and gathering titled “Centering Black History in the 250th” in Holyoke. Following the workshop with Expand Massachusetts Stories grantees, we welcomed Anika Lopes, executive director of Ancestral Bridges. Lopes shared her insights...
Oh Mercy! A letter from Mercy Otis Warren to Abigail Adams, as imagined by Erin Williams
By Erin Williams In a previous chapter of my life I was immersed in writing, directing and performing theater, on the streets and in the halls, exploring new ways of seeing the world around us. In 1975 I learned about Mercy Otis Warren, playwright, poet, activist and...
Watch: “What does the 250th mean to me?” – Jah’Nyah Spencer
In partnership with Massachusetts 250, we’re excited to share a new video series this year dedicated to the 250th. You’ll hear from historians, artists, elected officials, business people, and more, all with a unique perspective on what the American Revolution means...
2026 Poetry Out Loud Massachusetts State Champion Named
03.13.2026 Gabrielle Jaques, Associate Director of Publicity Poetry Out Loud | Press Release 2026 MA State Champion Nia Cao. Photo: David Marshall. The Huntington Education Department announces the top five students in the Massachusetts chapter of Poetry Out Loud, the...
Centering Black history in the 250th
As part of our ongoing exploration of the 250th this year, we invited a group of Expand Massachusetts Stories grantees to join us in Holyoke on February 25 for a workshop and convening about Black history in the context of the American Revolution. Staff from seven EMS...
Ché Anderson Named Mass Cultural Council Chair by Governor Healey
03.11.2026 Bethann Steiner, Senior Director of Public Affairs Press Release Worcester leader will guide the state arts agency's governing Council and oversee search for next executive director Ché Anderson, New Chair of Mass Cultural Council. Photo: Phil Smith of Phil...
Watch: Creative Sector Advocacy Day 2026
600+ artists, changemakers, activists, and nonprofit leaders gathered at the Massachusetts State House on March 3 to show their support for the arts, creativity, and the humanities in Massachusetts. “We are all here because we never, ever gave up in believing in us...
A Fond Farewell to Our Outgoing Chair, Marc Carroll
03.10.2026 Bethann Steiner, Senior Director of Public Affairs Former Mass Cultural Chair Marc Carroll with Council Member Jo-Ann Davis at Creative Sector Day at the State House. Today, Mass Cultural Council’s staff and governing Council recognize the seven-year tenure...
Episode 436: Matthew Keagle, Fort Ticonderoga & Henry Knox’s Noble Train of Artillery
https://traffic.libsyn.com/benfranklinsworld/436_Fort_Ticonderoga.mp3 On March 17, 1776, the British evacuated Boston—driven out not by a pitched battle, but by the sight of cannon perched on Dorchester Heights, aimed straight down at their positions. Those guns had...
Testifying in Support of Governor’s Budget for Arts & Culture
Fiscal Year 2027 H2 Budget HearingMarch 9, 2026Good afternoon, Chair Diggs, Chair Brady, and through you to the Members. Thank you for the opportunity to testify today here at Barnstable Town Hall, which we note with pride is in the heart of the Hyannis HyArts...
Introducing Creative Space DNA
03.05.2026 Jay Paget, Program Director Artist Space Mass Cultural Council invites you to be a part of our new creative space network: Creative Space DNA. We are partnering with the ArtStaysHere Coalition to initiate a development network accelerator to help those...
Opportunities & Resources for Orgs – Mar 26
03.04.2026 Mass Cultural Council Staff Opportunities & Resources The Black Legacy Project musicians perform at the Wahconah Regional High School Civility Assembly. Photo: Brian Rabuse. Each month Mass Cultural Council shares a round-up of grants, trainings,...
New MITx Arts Entrepreneurship Course Starts March 25
03.03.2026 Bethann Steiner, Senior Director of Public Affairs Creative Entrepreneurialism “Alchemist” by Dan4th Nicolas, licensed under CC BY 2.0 . Mass Cultural Council is excited to announce that a new Arts Entrepreneurship course is available on MITx, offering...
Creative Experiences Grants Available to Support Cultural Activities
03.03.2026 Amy Chu, Program Officer Creative Experiences The 2nd Annual Blueberry Jam was hosted by a partnership between four different farms to highlight the berry jams of Westport, MA. The festival brings the community together through music, art, and food. Photo:...
Episode 435: Common Sense at 250: The Unfinished Work of Democracy, A Live Conversation
https://traffic.libsyn.com/benfranklinsworld/435_ITPS.mp3 What happens after the revolution? Thomas Paine's Common Sense made the case for independence, but Paine himself understood that breaking free from a king was only the beginning. The harder work was figuring...