We are proud to share new research exploring the creative lives and contributions of first- and second-generation young adult immigrants across Massachusetts.
This research, led by Slover Linett at NORC, originated in a very different moment, when conversations about belonging, cultural identity, and immigrant experiences were ripe with nuance and complexity. The social and political climate has shifted since then, and what makes this study so necessary right now is the widening gap between the lived experiences of immigrant communities and the public narratives about them.
Our societal conversation about immigrants and the communities they come from are often reduced to political shorthand or overshadowed by fears unrelated to real people living complex lives. Art, culture, and creativity have always offered different ways into that conversation: ways to connect across histories and cultures, to recognize the richness of our diverse communities, and to honor the shared and distinct experiences that make us human.
Existing research has largely overlooked the immigrant artists, cultural leaders, and community members whose voices help shape our creative landscape. This project set out to listen to them directly, to understand their joy, curiosity, tension, resourcefulness, and the institutional relationships that inform their artistic lives.
This report illuminates what our cultural ecosystem stands to gain when diverse leadership and creative expression are truly embraced. At a time when immigrant communities face heightened scrutiny and marginalization, we risk losing some of the most important creative forces helping to define who we are and who we might become. It also sketches starting points for funders and arts organizations to evolve with and for these communities.
We hope this resource sparks meaningful dialogue among funders, administrators, and practitioners about how we can all more fully support our immigrant neighbors. Not just as artists and audiences, but as leaders, storytellers, and catalysts in our creative ecosystem.
Creativity + Community in Immigrant Lives
