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SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2007 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2194
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Jacob R. Oliveira
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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act establishing a program to increase cultural equity in tourism promotion and marketing.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Jacob R. OliveiraHampden, Hampshire and WorcesterPatricia A. Duffy5th HampdenBrian M. Ashe2nd Hampden2/2/2023Patrick M. O'ConnorFirst Plymouth and Norfolk2/13/2023Vanna Howard17th Middlesex2/15/2023 1 of 2
SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2007 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2194
By Mr. Oliveira, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 2194) of Jacob R. Oliveira, Patricia
A. Duffy, Brian M. Ashe, Patrick M. O'Connor and others for legislation to establish a program
to increase cultural equity in tourism promotion and marketing. Tourism, Arts and Cultural
Development.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
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An Act establishing a program to increase cultural equity in tourism promotion and marketing.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 Chapter 23A is hereby amended by inserting after section 13U the following section:-
2 Section 13V. (a) There shall be established a grant program to be known as the cultural
3tourism marketing fund program for financial assistance to arts organizations, cultural groups
4and historic sites for tourism marketing and promotion. The program shall be administered by
5the Massachusetts office of travel and tourism, in consultation with the Massachusetts cultural
6council. The program will provide financial support for arts organizations, cultural groups and
7historic sites to attract and increase local and regional tourism economic activity to their events
8and locations.
9 (b) Funds from the cultural tourism fund program shall be used to strengthen and elevate
10the cultural, geographic and creative diversity in the commonwealth. Individual grants amounts
11shall be determined by the Massachusetts office of travel and tourism in coordination with the 2 of 2
12Massachusetts cultural council and grants shall be distributed according to criteria that shall
13include, but shall not be limited to: (i) geographic diversity; (ii) cultural diversity; (iii) inclusion
14of programs that seek to amplify the stories of historically marginalized or underrepresented
15cultures; (iv) the percentage of the applicant’s existing expenditures on marketing and
16promotional activities; provided, however, that the program shall prioritize entities that
17demonstrate a lack of existing resources for marketing and promotional activities.
18 Eligible grant expenditures shall include: tourism publications, videos, CDs and DVDs,
19media advertisements, billboards and signage, brochure distribution services, consumer travel
20show expenses, group tour marketplace expenses, meeting or convention and sports marketing
21trade shows and expo expenses, media press kits, sponsorship of tourism trade shows and events,
22bid fees to assist in bringing events sciences; web site design expenses; and for-profit creative
23businesses that are headquartered in the commonwealth that provide marketing services and
24focus on the state.
25 Eligible grant recipients shall be: nonprofit organizations whose primary mission is the
26promotion of arts, culture, the humanities or interpretive sciences; nonprofit and for profit
27entities who produce and present art, culture, the humanities or interpretive sciences; and co-
28operatives or partnerships that include not less than 70 per cent artists, creative workers or
29culture workers.
30 (c) Funding for the cultural tourism marketing fund program shall be equal to at least 1
31per cent of the annual receipts of the Tourism Fund.