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MassArt Announces Common Good Awards, Celebrating Contributions to Civic Life Through the Arts 

Nominations are now open for the MassArt Common Good Awards to celebrate the contributions of individuals and organizations at the intersection of civic life, arts, and culture.

BOSTON, MA (SEPTEMBER 12, 2023) – Massachusetts College of Art and Design (MassArt) is proud to announce the MassArt Common Good Awards. The college is establishing this annual award as a part of its 150th anniversary year to recognize the inclusion of arts and culture in civic life and practice.

The MassArt Common Good Awards will celebrate the valuable impact of arts and culture by honoring individuals and organizations that push boundaries of advocacy, teaching, placemaking, design thinking, and making in the realm of arts and culture, placing an emphasis on the public influence of arts and its role in problem solving and quality of life.

“Art, culture, and design are everywhere, embedded in all facets of our lives,” said Dr. Mary K. Grant, President of MassArt. “As a public institution, we exist at the nexus of service, civic life, arts, and culture. The MassArt Common Good Awards will honor those people and organizations who are improving our lives through art and design by tackling society’s most critical problems and bringing the community together.”

The college is issuing an open call for nominations. For this award, arts and culture should be broadly defined, and include visual and performing arts, literature, film, fashion, design, advocacy, administration, and creative economy.

“As the only independent, public college of art and design in the United States, MassArt has been the catalyst for an important conversation about how art, culture, and design can and should be considered in everything we do,” said Patrick Tutwiler, Secretary of Education for Massachusetts. “These awards serve as the impetus of that work here in Massachusetts and an important reminder to reimagine the value of arts and culture in public life.”

Nominees are not required to be affiliated with MassArt or Massachusetts, though those with ties to the Commonwealth will be prioritized. MassArt expects to honor five or six awardees. The Alumni Award will be given to an individual who attended MassArt, and the Frances Euphemia Thompson Award for Excellence in Teaching will acknowledge the contributions of a current or retired public school K-12 teacher in Massachusetts. The remaining awards will recognize a wide range of individuals and organizations.

Nominations are now open and will be accepted through October 2, 2023. Anyone is eligible to nominate, and self-nominations are also accepted. Awards will be presented in a public ceremony at MassArt on Saturday, December 16 at 11 a.m. The event will be open to the public and more information about this will be available in early November.

To nominate someone for the MassArt Common Good Awards or for more information about the awards visit massart.edu/massart-common-good-awards.