For the 11th time, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts invites Massachusetts artists working in all disciplines (visual arts, literary, performing, crafts, new media, etc.) to the State House on Wednesday, November 8th in the State House’s Great Hall, to thank them for all they contribute to our state’s economy and quality of life.

The morning speaking program will feature remarks by State Treasurer Deborah B. Goldberg, Representative Cory Atkins, House Chair of the Joint Committee of Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development (TACD); TACD Committee Members Senator Eileen Donoghue, Senator Joan B. Lovely and Representative Mary S. Keefe; Assistant Majority Whip Senator Forry; Nam Pham, Assistant Secretary of Business Development & International Trade; and Anita Walker, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Cultural Council.

For the second time, and as part of the morning part of the program (10-11am), MALC will be giving its “Champion of Artists Awards”. The five awardees for 2017 are: State Representative Chris Walsh; Danielle Legros Georges, Boston’s Poet Laureate; Ashleigh Gordon, viola and Founder of Castle of our Skins; Jonathan Rappaport, musician, composer and Executive Director of Arts Learning; and Erin Williams, playwright, theater director, dramaturge, Cultural Development Officer for the City of Worcester and Executive Director of the Worcester Cultural Coalition.

At the afternoon 1pm panel, MALC will share the preliminary findings from “The “By Artists, For Artists” the statewide survey of Massachusetts artists of all disciplines, conducted by Artmorpheus and MALC. The project builds on the 2009 “Stand Up and Be Counted” project, the first-ever Massachusetts statewide survey of working artists of all disciplines. The 3,500 working artists who participated in the 2009 survey helped to change policies to benefit the communities of the creative sector. The survey closes on November 1st and can be accessed at www.artistsunderthedome.org

Registration is not required, but it is appreciated.