ARTSblog

The arts are a huge part of communities everywhere, bringing culture, vibrancy, and economic well-being to cities around the country.  But arts supporters often wonder if their civic leaders are aware of the impact the arts have, lobbying their local councils and state legislatures with stories and statistics on the importance of supporting the arts.  The Massachusetts Cultural Council has turned the table on some of these civic leaders, asking mayors across Massachusetts to provide video testimonials on how and why arts and culture make their cities better places to live, work, and visit as part of the Mayors’ Arts Challenge.

You can check out all the video submissions on YouTube and vote on your favorites by “liking” the ones you believe make the best case for the power of the arts in building community. Sign-in to “like” these videos by Oct. 29, 2010. The winning video will be showcased at the Massachusetts State House in February 2011 as part of the Commonwealth Awards, the state’s highest honors in arts and culture. It will also be shown by Americans for the Arts at its annual presentation at the U.S. Conference of Mayors.  For more information on the challenge, click here.