Funding the Creative Economy with Senator Julian Cyr

Senator Julian Cyr serves in the Massachusetts Senate representing Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard, and Nantucket. First elected to the State Senate on November 8, 2016, Julian is now serving in his second term and is the youngest senator in the 40-member body. And he’s been a champion for arts and culture here on Cape Cod. 

In this episode, we speak with the Senator about how the arts led him to a career in politics as well as how the Arts Foundation of Cape Cod’s Creative Exchange is being bolstered thanks to $400,000 in federal funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). 

Senator Julian Cyr was instrumental in securing the federal dollars to support the Cape’s creative economy, filing an amendment to the Legislature’s $4 billion ARPA and surplus tax revenue spending bill, which Governor Charlie Baker signed into law in December 2021. 

“These are once-in-a-generation funds that are meant to help us rebuild and repair and build more resilient communities,” Senator Cyr said. “When you look at what powers Cape Cod and the Islands’ economy, it is not solely tourism and our gorgeous beaches and natural beauty. The fabric of our community is its creativity and innovation.”