The arts are a central part of Cambridge’s identity and are critical to building dynamic, fuller communities. The arts support our neighborhoods and are a vehicle for economic security and growth. As a City Councillor, I will champion Cambridge’s vibrant arts community.
Economic Impact
The arts drive economic activity in Cambridge. The Arts & Economic Prosperity 5 study provides evidence that the nonprofit arts and culture sector is a significant industry in the City of Cambridge—one that generates $174.8 million in total economic activity. This spending—$119.8 million by nonprofit arts and cultural organizations and an additional $55 million in event-related spending by their audiences—supports 6,129 full-time equivalent jobs, generates $98.3 million in household income to local residents, and delivers $13.6 million in local and state government revenue.
Cultural Impact
The arts are a crucial component of the human experience and serve to enrich the culture of the community around them. All of Cambridge’s neighborhoods have unique and diverse stories to tell, and artists to tell these stories visually and orally. We can and must do better to treat our artists as stakeholders in City decisions. As a Councillor, I would push for a real community dialogue with our artists to form an action plan for the arts that truly addresses their needs.
Equity & the Arts
All of Cambridge’s residents, regardless of financial background, deserve the opportunity to participate in our rich culture. As a City Councillor, I will promote art installations in public places. We can also build upon the success of Central Square’s Starlight Square and make art more accessible to everyone, including the disabled and elderly. Through this process, we can transform vacant and underutilized spaces into cultural hubs that serve as recreational and community spaces, empower creators from historically marginalized communities by commissioning them for these projects, and showcase the beauty that already exists in Cambridge by putting it on the public stage.
Ongoing Efforts to Support the Arts
At Cambridge Local First, I support several arts nonprofits. And, I am a proud Advisory Board member to the Eureka Ensemble, which nurtures social impact through music by engaging directly with communities in the greater Boston area affected by homelessness and immigration with a focus on serving marginalized youth. I am thrilled to have received the endorsements of several prominent figures in the Cambridge arts community, including Alan Toda-Ambaras from Eureka Ensemble, Shelley Neill, the longtime Executive Director of the Multicultural Arts Center in East Cambridge, and Steven Adelson from Teddy Shoes.
Rosi and Brian Amador recently held a concert in their backyard in North Cambridge. We listened to the breathtaking music of Alisa Amador, Hayley Sabella, Kaiti Jones, and Sol Y Canto! Rosi and Brian are incredible community members, musicians, and small business owners, and I so appreciated the time spent with neighbors listening to moving music.
On July 10, we listened to the music of Ray Trio, featuring Terri Lyne Carrington and John Lockwood at Starlight Square in Cambridge’s Central Square Cultural District! Thank you to Shelley Neill for all her work in organizing this fabulous outdoor concert, and to the Central Square Business Improvement District for their ongoing work in promoting Starlight as a community space for our musicians!