It’s no secret that 2020 was an important election year. Not only did we vote to elect the country’s next President, but the COVID-19 pandemic, an overwhelming public response criticizing police violence committed against Black lives, and an unprecedented economic downturn weighed heavily on many of our minds. It was not enough for the creative community to bear witness to these events; we took action and commited to building a more just, equitable future for all.

​​

That’s why MassVOTE joined Create the Vote 2020, a non-partisan, grassroots campaign with a focus on increasing civic engagement and strengthening our democracy. We believe in the power of the voting process to enact change within our communities and affect the policies we care deeply about, from community-based arts programs to cultural equity, and from economic relief to policing regulations & public safety.

​​

Create the Vote worked to develop creative strategies to register people to vote, educate voters about casting ballots by mail, get people to participate in the electoral process, advocate for safer in-person elections, and turn people out to vote. Civic engagement can be one of the most effective ways the arts & culture sector can work to build more inclusive communities, and we have a duty to ensure our community members feel safe and empowered to express themselves in every way.

​​

Create the Vote 2020 was led by a steering committee of MASSCreative, MassVOTE, and The Theater Offensive in collaboration with ArtsBoston, Arts Foundation of Cape Cod, Dunamis, Elevated Thought, Front Porch Arts Collective, Massachusetts Artists Leaders Coalition (MALC), the New England Museum Association, and StageSource. We were proud to work with these organizations in a movement dedicated to building a more inclusive representative democracy, and look forward to all that is to come.

​​

Moving forward, will you join us and pledge to #CreateTheVote?