Arts matter. That’s why we are asking lawmakers to increase the budget of the Massachusetts Cultural Council to $16.1 million. MASSCreative Executive Director Matt Wilson teamed up with Raw Arts Works Executive Director Kit Jenkins to make the case for increased funding in this oped published in the Lynn Daily Item.
Imagine if you could devise a program that helps at-risk youth envision positive futures for themselves and apply for college, stay out of gangs and do better in school. Imagine, also, if this program helped create public art that cut down on graffiti and contributed to efforts to revitalize downtown Lynn.
It’s possible.
Raw Art Works (RAW) serves more than 1,200 under-resourced youth in Lynn ages 6 to 19 through its art programs, including one funded, in part, with a $10,000 grant this year from the Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC). Young people working with art therapists and professional artists have painted utility boxes and murals on Willow and Monroe streets. They have learned to express themselves through media ranging from paint, fabric and film to found objects. With art, they are taught to see a larger life for themselves than they might otherwise come up with on their own.
You can learn more about our budget advocacy campaign here.
