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Boston Creates Cultural Plan
Boston’s cultural planning process that will create a blueprint for arts and culture in the City of Boston.
The 10-year City initiative aligns public and private resources to strengthen cultural vitality over the long-term. Our goal is to weave arts and culture into the fabric of everyday life. You can learn more about the plan below.
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Have questions? Contact:
Arts and Culture -
Plan support
Support The cultural planning process was funded by the Barr Foundation and the Klarman Family Foundation.
Read the Cultural Plan
Welcome
Letter from the Mayor of Boston / Letter from the Boston Creates Leadership Council Co-Chairs
Introduction
Boston Creates: Purpose, values, and vision
Context
Arts and culture in Boston: Strengths, challenges, opportunities
Process
Community engagement and research findings
Plan
A plan for action: Five goals, ten years
Implementation
Moving forward: Leadership and resources for plan implementation
Action
Achieving our collective vision
Year One Update
Marking the one-year milestone of Boston Creates
Read the full plan
Download the complete version of the Boston Creates Cultural Plan
Boston Creates team
Boston Creates team- Former Mayor Martin J. Walsh, Honorary Chair
- Jim Canales, President, Barr Foundation (Co-Chair)
- Lee Pelton, former President, Emerson College (Co-Chair)
- Nicole Agois Hurel, COOL Schools Director, VSA Massachusetts
- Loreto Paz Ansaldo, Community Organizer, Educator, and Artivist
- Maure Aronson, Executive Director, World Music/CRASHarts
- Jonathan Bays, Executive Director, Sound Postings LLC
- Thomas Blumenthal, Partner, The Baupost Group
- Adrian Budhu, Managing Director, The Theater Offensive
- Gregory Bulger, Trustee, Gregory E. Bulger Foundation
- Paul Buttenwieser, Trustee, Boston Symphony Orchestra and American Repertory Theatre
- Miles Byrne, Development Director, Corcoran Jennison Company
- Jay Calderin, Executive Director, Boston Fashion Week
- Cassandra Cato-Louis, Artistic Director, African Repertory Troupe
- Roxann Cooke, Senior Vice President and Regional Manager, Eastern Bank
- Elizabeth de Montrichard, Trustee, The Lynch Foundation
- Shaumba-Yandje Dibinga, Executive Director, OrigiNation Dance
- Rick Dimino, President and CEO, A Better City
- Cathy Edwards, Executive Director, New England Foundation for the Arts
- Barbara Erickson, President and CEO, Trustees of Reservations
- Allyson Esposito, Director, Arts and Culture Program, The Boston Foundation
- Bridgitt Evans, President, VIA Art Fund
- Hanah Fadrigalan, Board Member, Asian American Journalists Assoc.
- Padriac Farma, Director, Real to Reel Filmschool, Raw Art Works
- Grace Fey, President, Grace Fey Advisors
- Tracey Flaherty, Senior Vice President, Natixis Global Asset Management
- Aisha Francis, Director of Development, Harvard Medical School
- Mindy Fried, Principal, Arbor Consulting Partners
- Erica Gervais Pappendick, Founder, Gervais + Co Advisors
- Susan Goganian, Director, Beverly Historical Society
- Emily Grandstaff-Rice, Senior Associate, Arrowstreet
- Barbara Wallace Grossman, Professor, Tufts University
- William Guenther, Chairman & CEO, Mass Insight
- Linda Pizzuti Henry, Managing Director, Boston Globe
- Betty Hillmon, Founder/Director, Boston City-Wide String Orchestra
- Betsy Hinkle, Founder and Artistic Director, musiConnects
- Cerise Jacobs, Creator and Librettist, The Friends of Madame White Snake
- Patricia Jacobs, President, AT&T New England
- Mark Kates, Founder, Fenway Recordings
- Gretchen Keyworth, Director Emerita, Fuller Craft Museum
- Dumas Lafontant, Director, Lower Roxbury Coalition
- Keith Lockhart, Conductor, Boston Pops
- Philip Lovejoy, Executive Director, Harvard Alumni Association; Board Member, Boston Center for the Arts
- Juan Maldonado, Director of Arts, Culture, and Civic Engagement, Sociedad Latina
- Marlee McDonald-Yepes, Program Manager, New England Conservatory
- Victor Negrete, Regional Planning Director, Mass. Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development
- Peter Nessen, President, Nessen Associates
- Stephanie Nikolaou, Theater and Dance Teacher
- Laura Perille, President & CEO, EdVestors
- Catherine Peterson, Executive Director, ArtsBoston
- Veronica Robles, Executive Director, Veronica Robles Cultural Center
- Ashley Rose, Artist and Arts Program Manager, Lena Park CDC
- John Rosenthal, President, Meredith Management
- Eve Rounds, Independent Arts Advocate, Boston Ballet and Boston Arts Academy
- Bianca Sigh Ward, Paralegal, Nystrom Beckman & Paris LLP
- Maguire Skaza, Youth Leadership Council
- Jodi Solomon, President, Solomon Speakers Bureau
- Matthew Teitelbaum, Director, Museum of Fine Arts
- Bridgette Wallace, Founder, SkyLab
- Michael Winston, President, Humble Hues; Bay Village Executive Committee
- Lisa Wong, Pediatrician/Musician, Harvard Medical School, President, Longwood Symphony Orchestra
- Michelle Wu, City Councilor At-Large, City of Boston
- Julie S. Burros, Chief of Arts and Culture, City of Boston
- Carole Charnow, President and CEO, Boston Children’s Museum
- Silvia Lopez Chavez, Interdisciplinary Working Artist
- Christopher Cook, Commissioner, Boston Parks and Recreation; and former Director, Mayor’s Office of Arts, Tourism, and Special Events
- Michael Evans, Developer and Designer, Mayor’s Office of New Urban Mechanics
- Eve Ewing, doctoral candidate, Harvard Graduate School of Education; Outreach Coordinator, Mass LEAP
- Vineet Gupta, Director of Policy and Planning, Boston Transportation Department
- Ted Landsmark, President Emeritus, Boston Architectural College; Board Member, Boston Redevelopment Authority
- Joyce Linehan, Chief of Policy, Mayor’s Office of the City of Boston
- Anne-Marie Lubenau, Director, Rudy Bruner Award for Urban Excellence at The Bruner Foundation
- Michael Maso, Managing Director, Huntington Theatre Company
- Myran Parker-Brass, Executive Director for the Arts, Boston Public Schools
- Miguel Rodriguez, Executive Director, Boston Baroque
- Laura Sherman, Director, Greater Boston Grantmaking, The Klarman Family Foundation
- Abi Vladeck, Special Assistant, City of Boston Capital Planning (former)
- San San Wong, Senior Program Officer, Arts and Creativity, Barr Foundation
- Arreen Andrew, Director, Boston Cultural Council (former)
- Andrea Burns, Director, Age-Friendly Boston
- Jordan Deasy, Senior Adviser to the Chief of Civic Engagement
- Joy DePina, Director of Outreach and Engagement, Mayor’s Office of Health & Human Services
- Jessica Doonan, Program and Policy Specialist, Mayor’s Commission for Persons with Disabilities
- Abigail Furey, Neighborhood Business Manager, Office of Business Development
- Stephen Gilman, Program Director, Boston Main Streets
- Deron Jackson, Youth Outreach Coordinator, Department of Youth Engagement & Employment
- Christina Kim, Research Manager, Boston Redevelopment Authority
- An Le, Community and Public Affairs Advocacy Coordinator, Mayor’s Office for Immigrant Advancement
- Alvaro Lima, Director of Research, Boston Redevelopment Authority
- Elizabeth O’Brien, Advisor to the Chief of Education
- Ramon Soto, Director of External Relations and Opportunity Gap Initiatives, Mayor’s Education Cabinet
- Francesco Tena, Mayor’s Youth Council Manager
Allston/Brighton
Ben Hires
Eva Rosenberg
John Quatrale
Jen Matson
Lindsey Noecker
Joseph Caruso
Jennifer Johnson
Susan Chinsen
Debbie Ho
Leverett Wing
An Duong
David Day
East Boston
Veronica Robles
Madeleine Steczynski
Kelly Brilliant
Juan Maldonado
Helga Felleisen
Tommey Seggers
Randace Raucher-Moore
Brenda Rodriguez-Andujar
Cassandra Cato-Louis
Keke Fleurissaint
Charlot Lucien
Douglass Bowen-Flynn
Emily Curran
Roslindale
Jocelyn Hutt
Glenn Williams
Olawumi Akinwumi
Ramona Alexander
Michael Dowling
Emily O’Neil
Suzanne Taylor
Cynthia Woo
Vanessa Calderon-Rosada
Clare Adala-Clark
Margaret Winikates
- Jon Abbott
- Marie Adam
- Rumiko Adamowiz
- Lee Adelson
- Nicole Agois
- Peter Agoos
- Brianna Allard
- Lynne Allen
- Carl Alleyne
- Erin Anderson
- John Anderson
- Dynell Andrews-Blake
- Alex Anmahian
- Loreto Paz Ansaldo
- Jean Antoine
- Brian Appel
- Sam Aquillano
- Maure Aronson
- Felix Arroyo
- Sabrina Aviles
- Alan Babner
- Adrienne Baker
- Kelly Baker
- Kristin Baker
- Charles Baldwin
- Browne Banjineh
- Lizzie Barker
- Veronica Barron
- John Barros
- Crystal Beck
- Erin Becker
- Barbara Beckwith
- Liora Beer
- Eunice Belacy
- Lisa Bello
- Helen Bender
- Rhoda Bernard
- Hansy Better Barraza
- Rohit Bhambi
- Kathleen Bitetti
- Julia Blake
- Andrea Blesso
- Andrea Bliss-Albuquerque
- Shaun Blugh
- Sarah Bob
- Angela Bonds
- Ellen Booker
- Anne Born
- Brian Boruta
- Julia Boynton
- Dee Brenner
- Ross Bressler
- Kara Brewton
- Eve Bridburg
- Kelly Brilliant
- Brad Brown
- Cindy Brown
- Donna Brown
- Katie Brown
- Adrian Budhu
- Tory Bullock
- Peggy Burchenal
- Kathleen Burke
- Jessica Burko
- Dillon Bustin
- Albert Caldarelli
- Vanessa Calderon-Rosado
- Jay Caldrine
- Rebecca Campbell
- Heather Campion
- Nancy Cao
- Nick Capasso
- Liz Carney
- Aubre Carreon-Aguliar
- Allison Carter
- Philip Carver
- Debra Cash
- Jake Cassman
- Maggie Cavallo
- Cori Champagne
- Janelle Chan
- Tommy Chang
- Matt Chapuran
- Carole Charnow
- Tasha Chemel
- Susan Chinsen
- Cornell Coley
- Michael Colford
- Susan Collings
- Richard Colton
- Anna Comella
- Sara Conahan
- Rosie Connelly
- Craig Coogan
- Christopher Cook
- Dave Cordes
- Tanya Cosway
- Luis Edgardo Cotto
- Robert Couture
- Anne Cowie
- Karen Cragg
- Emily Curran
- Lynne Currier
- Nelson Da Costa
- Emily Dahlgaard
- Valeska Daley
- Lori Damon
- Jesa Damora
- Evelyn Darling
- Downa Davis
- Mike Davis
- Susan Davy
- Jordan Deasy
- Chrislene Dejean
- Kelly Delekta
- Christina DeLisio
- Jason Desrosier
- Muadi Dibinga
- Musau Dibinga
- Shaumba-Yandje Dibinga
- Sheila Dillon
- Peter Dimuro
- Amit Dixit
- Joe Domelowicz
- Ellen Donaghy
- Sherry Dong
- Kelly Donovan
- Jessica Doonan
- Turahn Dorsey
- David Dower
- Betsy Draper
- Marc Drayson
- Jeanne DuBois
- Kelly Dumar
- Gary Dunning
- Dan Duro
- Becky Dwyer
- Sarah Edrie
- Bree Edwards
- Paul Edwards
- Jennifer Effron
- Dan Elias
- Lauren Elias
- Akunna Eneh
- Jenn Erickson
- Corey Evans
- Ben Evett
- Ray Fahrner
- Elaine Fallon
- Emily Fayen
- Fabio Fernandez
- Veronica Fernandez
- Moises Fernandez-Via
- Jessica Feroli
- Ted Fields
- George Fifield
- Jessica Finch
- Donna Finnegan
- Dennis Fiori
- Deborah First
- Patricia Flaherty
- Mary Flannery
- Charlotte Fleetwood
- Donna Folan
- Paul Fontaine
- Shawn Ford
- Cheryl Forte
- Ricardo Foster
- Ena Fox
- Anara Frank
- Jascha Franklin-Dodge
- Scott Fraser
- Alison Frazee
- L’Merchie Frazier
- Pamela Frechette
- Katherine French
- Brian Friedland
- Sarah Fujiwara
- Ty Furman
- Helena Furscio
- Tony Fusco
- Geralde Gabeau
- Jamie Gahlon
- Kay Gallaher
- Bridgit Ganson
- Monica Garza
- Ed Gaskin
- Greg Gazzola
- Philip Giffee
- Kelly Gifford
- Kate Gilbert
- Sharon Glennon
- Donna Glick
- Siere Godfrey
- Stacen Goldman
- Danielle Goldschneider
- Miguel Gomez-Ibanez
- Denise Gonsalves
- Ashe Gordon
- Amy Gorin
- Hannah Goodwin
- Jim Grace
- Nia Grace
- Melissa Graham
- Heather Greenbaum
- Jennifer Gresham
- Eve Griffin
- Sarah Grosvenor
- Max Gruner
- Neena Gulati
- Junior Gustavo
- Kimberly Haack
- Catherine Halpin
- Christos Hamawi
- Sarah Hamblin
- Sarah Hannan
- Marianne Harkless
- Chantal Harris
- David Hartman
- Susan Hartnett
- Robert Hayes
- Fulani Haynes
- Nancy Hays
- Lajos Heder
- Dawn Heinen
- Julie Hennrikus
- Angela Herbert
- Dey Hernandez
- Nigella Hillgarth
- Courtney Ho
- Hamilton Ho
- Gail Hobin
- Max Hodges
- Vivian Baquer Holland
- Patrick Hollenbeck
- Grace Holley
- Ekua Holmes
- Andrea Howard
- David Howse
- Lillian Hsu
- Elizabeth Hudson
- Jennifer Ritvo Hughes
- Ed Hurley
- Jennifer Hurley-Wales
- Cathy Hutchinson
- Norsha Hydol
- Michael Iceland
- Jazmin Idakaar
- Jen Inglis
- Beth Ireland
- Laura Irmscher
- Gillian Jackson
- Mary Jaffee
- Kate James
- Jude James
- Stephanie Janes
- Greg Jenkins
- Meri Jenkins
- Daniel Johnson
- Allyssa Jones
- David Jones
- Kieran Jordan
- Ning Jun Yuan
- Dennis Kaiser
- Justin Kang
- Kristi Keefe
- Heidi Keegan
- Rachel Keeler
- Jim Keenan
- Barrie Keller
- Dorothy Keller
- Catherine Kernan
- Sierra Khan
- Philip Khoury
- Kathy Kiely
- YeSeul Kim
- Anthony Trecek King
- Christopher King
- Tom Kingdon
- Leila Kinney
- Keith Kirchoff
- Gavin Kleespies
- Jim Klocke
- Julie Arvedon Knowlton
- Daniel Koh
- Lynne Kortenhaus
- Mitchell Kossak
- Veronica Koven-Matasy
- Joe Kriesberg
- Patricia Krol
- Matt Krug
- Richard Kuhn
- Ed Lambert
- Ted Landsmark
- David Lapin
- Alison LaRosa Montez
- BJ Larson
- First Last
- Gail Latimore
- Ann Lawson
- Malia Lazu
- Van Le
- Michelle LeBlanc
- Brian LeMay
- Veronique Le Melle
- David Leonard
- Jane Leung
- Maggie Levine
- Barbara Lewis
- Pat Lewis
- Naraya Ligouri
- Larry Lindner
- John Linehan
- Walter Little
- Lori Lobenstine
- Timothy Loew
- Silvia Lopez-Chavez
- Sujei Lugo
- Derek Lumpkins
- Amy MacDonald
- Kat Macias
- Laurin Macios
- Michael MacPhail
- Dariela Maga
- Tanya Maggi
- Steve Magoon
- Tani Marinovich
- Nancy Marks
- Heath Marolow
- Kathleen Marsh
- Barbara Martin
- Kaki Martin
- Carol Ridge Martinez
- Jose Mateo
- Kay Mathew
- Emily Mason
- Tess Mattern
- Patrice Maye
- Matt McArthur
- Rita McAteer
- Dan McCole
- Julie McConchie
- Daniel McConvey
- Nancy McCoy
- Sarah McDermott
- Stella Aguirre McGregor
- Patrick McGuire
- Sarah McKinnon
- William McLaughlin
- Jermaine McNeill
- Jen Mecca
- Rafael Medina
- Jill Medvedow
- Jack Megan
- Cecilia Mendez
- Roseanne Pickard Mercer
- Mela Miles
- Timothy David Moenk
- Marissa Molinar
- Luis Montalvo
- Beverly Morgan-Walsh
- Ann Moritz
- Katrina Morse
- Margaret Morton
- Pat Moscaritolo
- Jason Moschella
- Elsa Mosquera
- Mohsen Mostafavi
- Maria Muller
- Alys Myers
- Tommy Neblett
- Jeanette Neill
- Shelley Neill
- Ester Nelson
- Susan Nelson
- Ly Nguyen
- Wendy Nicholas
- Andria Nicodemou
- Carl Nold
- Abigail Norman
- Diane Norris
- Carin O’Connor
- Kristin Odmark
- David O’Donnell
- Chika Offurum
- Zahra Ohldin
- Jenny Oliver
- Alexandra Oliver-Davila
- Alana Olsen
- Richard Ortner
- Steve O’Shaughnessy
- Ramona Ostrowski
- Meaghan Overton
- Eli Pabon
- Laura Palmer
- Panos Panay
- Diana Parcon
- Myran Parker-Brass
- Brent Parrish
- Mark Pasnik
- Emily Patrick
- Prataap Patrose
- Liz Pawlak
- Haeden Peaslee
- Steve Pellegrino
- Paige Peltzer
- Mike Peluse
- Yaritza Pena
- Wilhelmina Peragine
- Caitlin Peterson
- Catherine Peterson
- Tina Petigny
- Mark Pevsner
- Norah Piehl
- Rebekah Pierson
- Jeanne Pinado
- Paul Pitts
- Jean Player
- Marilyn Plotkins
- Elijah Plymesser
- Sheryl Pollard-Thomas
- Deborah Porter
- David Price
- Beth Prindle
- Kate Procyshyn
- David Pruett
- Peter Pulsifer
- Alison Pultinas
- Amy Quigley
- Paul Rabin
- Shawn Radley
- Abigale Reisman
- Mauryanne Remondini
- Chelsea Revelle
- Barbara Rhodes
- Lauren Riviello
- Gerald Robbins
- Christopher Robin
- Martha Robinson
- Susan Rodgerson
- Brenda Rodriguez-Andujar
- Priscilla Rojas
- Bruce Ronkin
- Beto Rosa
- Caren Rosales
- Kay Rose
- Richard Rouse
- Amy Ryan
- Abe Rybeck
- Robert Sabal
- Alberto Salvatore
- Sammy Sass
- Edward Saywell
- Gabrielle Schaffner
- Jessica Schmidt
- Jennifer Schmitt
- Dan Schmunk
- Gretchen Schneider
- Ingrid Schorr
- Nate Schorr
- Melina Schuler
- Bob Schwartz
- Jean Scott
- Derek Seabury
- Patricia Seitz
- Jon Seward
- Sarah Shampnois
- Klare Shaw
- Audrey Shelto
- Kairos Shen
- Linda Shoemaker
- Katie Shultz
- Kimberly Simmons
- Lisa Simmons
- Gerald Slavet
- Jermone Smith
- Doris Sommer
- Joe Spaulding
- Linda Spear
- Alex Speir
- Phillip Speiser
- Vivien Speiser
- Sara Stackhouse
- Joyce Stanley
- Madeleine Steczynski
- James Sullivan
- Kate Sullivan
- Coriana Hunt Swartz
- Leslie Swartz
- David Sweeney
- Abby Swidler
- Kim Szeto
- Micki Taylor-Pinney
- Patrick Tedesco
- Richard Thal
- Mila Thigpen
- Zakiya Thomas
- Nielita Thompson-Brown
- Crystal Tiala
- Sharon Tingley
- Georgia Titonis
- Emily Todd
- Paula Tognarelli
- Emily Tokarczyk
- Robert Torres
- Ted Touloukian
- Louisa Trackman
- Rob Tullis
- Lisa Tung
- Raber Umphenour
- Jonathan Unglaub
- Aysha Upchurch
- Lacey Upton
- Marcie Van Cleve
- Krista Van Tassel
- Taina Vargas
- Mary Ann Veale
- Angela Veizaga
- Trip Ventruella
- Liz Vizza
- Abi Vladeck
- Mark Volpe
- Ngoc-Tran Vu
- Karen Wacks
- Anita Walker
- Brad Walker
- Charles Washburn
- Jody Weber
- Jerry Wedge
- Jason Weeks
- Meg Weeks
- Catherine Weiskel
- Kamilah Welch
- Veronica Wells
- Sarah Wenig
- Laura Wernick
- Eric White
- Beth Whittaker
- Rachel Wiese
- Naj Wikoff
- Eileen Williston
- Matt Wilson
- Meg Winikates
- Jan Woiler Meuse
- Yanina Wolfe
- Dan Yaeger
- Annie Yang-Perez
- Brian Yankee
- Tremayne Youmans
- Nina Zannieri
- Gail Zarren
- Richard Zauft
- John Zeisel
The City of Boston Mayor’s Office
- Mayor Martin J. Walsh
- Joyce Linehan, Chief of Policy
- Danny Green, Deputy Chief of Policy
- Michael Evans, Program Director, Mayor’s Office of New Urban Mechanics
- Julie S. Burros, Chief of Arts and Culture
- Arreen Andrew, Director, Boston Cultural Council (former)
- Kenya Beaman, Staff Assistant
- Celene Browning, Project Coordinator (former)
- Alene Burroughs, Assistant Manager, Strand Theatre
- John Crowley, Curator & Exhibition Coordinator
- Kara Elliott-Ortega, Director of Planning & Policy
- Karin Goodfellow, Director, Boston Art Commission
- Melodi Greene, General Manager, Strand Theatre
- Christian Guerra, Collections Coordinator, Boston Art Commission
- Dylan Hurwitz, Project Coordinator (former)
- Thomas Johnston, Director of Programs
- Heidi Schork, Director, Mayor’s Mural Program
- Edna Wilkie, Staff Assistant
The Cultural Planning Group
- David Plettner-Saunders, Partner
- Martin Cohen, Partner
- Jerry Allen, Partner
- Linda Tara Flynn, Ph.D., Partner
- Alan Brown, Principal
- Dr. Dennie Palmer Wolf, Principal
- Marc Goldring, Associate Principal
- Elizabeth Cabral Curtis, President and CEO
- Ashley B. Berendt, Vice President
- Josiane Martinez, Founder and Principal
- Athena Laines, Community Engagement Director
- Carol Leon, Community Engagement Coordinator
- Lydia Vega, Community Engagement Coordinator
- Ana Karina Vivas, Communication Coordinator
Callanan and Klein Communications
- Erin Callanan, Principal
- Adam Klein, Principal
- Tori Wenzel, Assistant Account Executive
- Mark Minelli, President, Creative Director
- Becca Mayfield, Strategy & Design
- Sebastian Kineke, Designer
- Rebekah Leiva, Designer
- María L. Vidart-Delgado, Partner
- Katarzyna Balug, Partner
- Heather Kapplow, Conceptual Artist
- Shaw Pong Liu, Violinist, Composer and Teaching Artist
- Leonardo March, Photographer
- Daniel Penrice
- Leslie Cohen
Who's Involved:
-
Have questions? Contact:
Arts and Culture -
Plan support
Support The cultural planning process was funded by the Barr Foundation and the Klarman Family Foundation.
