Deadline: 5-Nov-21
Applications are now open for the Gaming Mitigation Grants Program to mitigate a direct threat to the sustainability of non-profit and municipal performing arts centers in Massachusetts.
The program was paused in FY21 as casinos and cultural institutions alike were closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This time was used by Mass Cultural Council to continue to develop the program with input from affected performing arts centers.
This is important because performing arts centers:
- Are economic engines for communities
- Ensure access to the arts across the Commonwealth
- Are centers of community gathering and place making
- Provide young people creative learning opportunities
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible, applicants must meet all three of the following characteristics:
- Applicants must be a performing arts center, which means:
- The organization’s primary mission must be to promote access, excellence, diversity, or education in the arts, humanities, or interpretive sciences.
- The organization commits 50% or more of their operating expenses to the performing arts. Performing arts are types of art that are presented live for an audience; examples include dance, music, opera, musical theater, theater, folk/traditional dance, and/or music.
- Applicants must be a Massachusetts non-profit OR a Massachusetts municipality:
- Non-profit performing arts centers include fully-cultural performing art centers and cultural affiliates as defined below that meet the relevant requirements for each.
- Fully-cultural non-profit performing arts center: A legally recognized 501(c)3 performing arts center in good standing in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. This includes non-profit performing arts centers managed by separate non-profit managing organizations.
- Cultural affiliate performing arts center: A semi-independent performing arts center that operates under a non-cultural parent organization.
- The primary mission of the cultural affiliate must be to promote access, excellence, diversity, or education in the arts, humanities, or interpretive sciences.
- The parent organization for the cultural affiliate must be a Massachusetts recognized non-fully cultural 501(c)3 organization. For example, a theater at a university, or a performance venue at social service organization.
- In order to be considered an eligible entity, in addition to meeting the eligibility requirements for all non-profit applicants, the cultural affiliate must:
- Manage their own budget.
- Have at least one full-time (min. 30 hours per week) compensated administrative staff position dedicated solely to operation of the performing arts center.
- Have its own advisory board that meets regularly to discuss policy, strategic direction, and resource development plans to ensure long-term sustainability.
- Non-profit performing arts centers include fully-cultural performing art centers and cultural affiliates as defined below that meet the relevant requirements for each.
- To be eligible all non-profit applicants must:
- Be legally recognized as a 501(c)3 non-profit organization in good standing in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
- If a non-profit performing arts center has a separate managing entity, the managing entity must have a contract, lease, or deed articulating their management responsibilities.
- Municipally-owned performing art centers include:
- Municipally-owned performing arts centers managed by the municipality itself.
- Municipally-owned performing arts centers managed by an eligible managing organization:
- The managing organization must have a contract, lease, or deed articulating their management responsibilities.
- Eligible managing organizations include:
- A legally recognized 501(c)3 non-profit
- A for-profit managing company
- Ineligible managing organizations include:
- Resort-style or slot parlor casinos
- For profit or non-profit managing companies that operate under the direction of resort-style or slot parlor casinos
- Applicants must present touring shows or artists.
- Touring shows or artists must be an independent entity being presented as a guest at the organization.
- Touring artists featured in a piece produced by the applying organization are only considered an independent entity if they are considered a headliner(s) with name recognition that is used as a marketing tool.
- Touring shows and artists MUST ALSO meet at least TWO of the following three criteria:
- Appears on one of the (or similar, but not listed) artist rosters.
- Has performed in at least three states (including MA) in the last three years. (Must include link to artist/show schedule in application.)
- Has established artist representation. (Must include agent information from the list below, or other similarly reputable agency, in application.)
- CAA
- CAMI
- High Road Touring
- Jensen Artists
- IMG Artists
- Paradigm Agency
- Touring shows or artists must be an independent entity being presented as a guest at the organization.
For more information, visit https://massculturalcouncil.org/blog/fy22-gaming-mitigation-grants-available/