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Mass Cultural Council public affairs director backs STEAM rebrand, supports CFF technical correction
Summary
Senior Director of Public Affairs Bethann Steiner told the Executive Committee the Council is advocating to rebrand STEM as STEAM and described its support for a Cultural Facilities Fund technical correction bill to broaden eligibility to tribal and municipal cultural facilities; the Committee prioritized fuller Council discussion on related items Oct. 29.
At the Executive Committee meeting on Oct. 22, Bethann Steiner, Senior Director of Public Affairs for the Massachusetts Cultural Council, reported a period of active legislative engagement and advocacy. "This week is Massachusetts STEM Week," she said, and described the agency’s efforts to rebrand STEM as STEAM to emphasize arts integration in education and workforce development.
Steiner told members she attended the public hearing for the Cultural Facilities Fund (CFF) technical correction bill and said the change aims to ensure equitable eligibility for cultural facilities, including tribal and municipal organizations, by removing outdated size and age limits. Committee members sought clarification: Julie Wake asked how the correction would change eligibility, and Deputy Executive Director David Slatery explained that the original size and age limits had been intended for specific projects and that staff now recommend including all municipal and tribal cultural facilities.
Steiner also flagged other pieces of legislation the Council is tracking, including the MassCreative Creative Space and Place Acts and a proposal concerning term limits for Local Cultural Councils that would permit some small-town LCC members to serve three consecutive terms. She noted the Governor’s new Competitiveness Council as a potential venue for advocating creative-sector representation and highlighted ongoing regional grant celebrations.
The Committee agreed to prioritize this policy and legislative discussion at the full Council meeting on Oct. 29; no votes on bills or statutory changes were taken at the Oct. 22 Executive Committee meeting.
