Arts & Creativity

Arts & Creativity Strategies

To achieve our goal of elevating the arts and enabling creative expression to engage and inspire a dynamic, thriving Massachusetts, we pursue three strategies:

Adapting boldly. Spanning sectors. Activating public support.

ArtsAmplified Initiative

Powerful art. Bold leadership. Vibrant communities.

We're partnering with 15 accomplished arts organizations across Massachusetts to amplify their leadership in communities.

Powering Cultural Futures Initiative

A six-year partnership with 15 community-rooted organizations to support BIPOC arts and communities, and advance a more equitable Massachusetts arts sector.

Creative Commonwealth Initiative

A decade-long partnership between Barr and five Massachusetts community foundations to strengthen arts and creativity across our Commonwealth.

Barr-Klarman Massachusetts Arts Initiative

A $25 million investment over six years in 29 Massachusetts arts organizations to strengthen financial health and capacity to adapt to change.

Investing in Organizations to Pursue an Artistic Risk

What does artistic risk look like? What kind of support is needed to allow organizational risk taking?

Barr-Klarman Arts Capacity Building Initiative and their arts organization partners explored these questions. A fund was set up as part of the Initiative, with the goal of supporting projects that took organizations out of the comfort zone of their usual practice, potentially against standard field practice, and with the potential to change their organizational way of working. We commissioned a series of videos to document the journey and impact of the seven projects that were funded.