OUR TEAM || PRESS || SUCCESS STORIES || partners
Our Mission
MASS MoCA’s Assets for Artists is an artist-led and artist-centered program that marshals resources and strategies for creatives to pursue self-determined careers while navigating an economic system that’s stacked against us. We advance this mission by advocating for artists’ needs, redistributing resources directly to artists, and creating opportunities for artists to be in community, engage in peer-learning, and obtain tools for navigating the challenges of our current economic system while simultaneously shaping a more equitable one.
Studios AIRs 2022, credit: Pantea Karimi
John Vo, 2022 Capacity-Building Grantee
Our Vision
We envision a world where artists of all disciplines, identities, and backgrounds are paid fairly, valued for their important artistic, social, and economic contributions, and given equitable access to resources to thrive. We believe that pushing for equity in artist opportunities while strengthening artists’ capacity for self- determination transforms communities and improves the conditions in which artists (and everyone) live and work.
Our Impact
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Since 2008, we’ve served over 2,500 artists with professional development workshops and enrolled more than 600 artists in five northeastern states in our Capacity-Building Grant Program. Together, our participating artists are creating $2,300,000+ in seed capital to invest in their creative futures. That’s a lot of love flowing back into the creative economy!
ARTIST RESIDENCY SUPPORT
When the Studios at MASS MoCA began in 2015, we had 8 studios and a great lunch menu. Now we’ve grown to 10 studios in two buildings on the MASS MoCA campus and have provided housing and studio space to 850 artists from 22 countries, including our special fellowships for artists living in Puerto Rico.
Ruth Owens, Studios AIR 2022