The MassArt Common Good Awards recognize and celebrate individuals and organizations that push the boundaries of advocacy, teaching, placemaking, design thinking, and making in the realm of arts and culture – emphasizing the public influence of arts and its role in problem-solving and quality of life. On December 16, 2023, the College was thrilled to honor its six inaugural Common Good Awardees.
Last year, at our inaugural event, we honored Wilco, Western Avenue Studios, artist Silvia López Chavez, art teacher Jozeph Zaremba, The Secret Society of Black Creatives, and Dr. Lisa Wong for their work at the intersection of art and civic life.
Learn about the AwardeesAs the nation’s first and only independent public college of art and design, MassArt has been a catalyst for envisioning the role of art, culture, and design in all aspects of life. We look forward to celebrating the contributions of individuals from across the Commonwealth and beyond.
Nominations for this year’s MassArt Common Good Awards are now open and will be accepted through August 2, 2024, midnight EDT.
MassArt will honor people and organizations who make a valuable impact on society through art and design. We will celebrate those who push the 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 raising the quality of life for everyone.
We expect to award five or six MassArt Common Good Awards this year.
We ask nominators to think broadly about individuals and organizations doing great work at the intersection of art and civic life. For instance, awards could be to an architect or landscape architect who worked on a public project or successfully incorporated public use into a private project; a public artist; an elected or appointed public official who has advanced the sector in a meaningful way; a designer who made something for a public purpose; someone who took a bold stand related to arts and culture; a youth artist working in community; someone working to address artist displacement; someone working in arts and health; an innovator, etc. Nominees in this category do not need to have any MassArt affiliation.
Please note: While there is one specific alumni award, alumni may be nominated in any category.
For the purposes of nomination, arts and culture should be broadly defined, and include visual and performing arts, literature, film, fashion, design, advocacy, administration, creative economy, etc. We seek to think differently and surprise people with what might be considered arts victories. We look for nominations that are highly intersectional to illustrate the intrinsic value of arts and culture in our lives. Nominations are being solicited from the MassArt community as well as the broader arts community in Massachusetts and beyond.
The deadline for submissions is August 2, 2024, midnight EDT.
The award ceremony will be held on November 16, 2024.
Arts, culture, and design are everywhere, embedded in all facets of our lives. As a public institution, we exist at the nexus of service, civic life, arts, and culture.Dr. Mary K. Grant, MassArt President
