The Creative Economy as Common Ground: Workforce, Equity, and Massachusetts’ Competitive Future
Massachusetts has a history of leading the nation in public education, civic innovation, healthcare reform, and philanthropy itself. Today, as democratic institutions face pressure and the Commonwealth works to sustain its long-term economic competitiveness, philanthropy has another opportunity to lead.
The creative ecosystem is part of that opportunity. Creative skills: design thinking, prototyping, storytelling, strategic communication, systems thinking, and cultural fluency, are no longer peripheral to economic growth. They are among the most sought-after competencies across technology, healthcare, life sciences, and clean energy. Yet access to creative learning and career pathways remains secondary, leaving young people from low-income communities and communities of color behind and leaving employers without the talent they need.
This session brings funders and community leaders together as co-learners to examine creative workforce development as both an equity strategy and an economic competitiveness strategy. We'll surface what's working, identify where investment should go next, and explore how philanthropy — in partnership with educators, employers, and government — can help build a more inclusive creative economy for Massachusetts.
Participants will be able to:
Articulate the connection between creative workforce development and two core strategic priorities: democratic health and Massachusetts' economic competitiveness
Identify the structural barriers that prevent young people, particularly from low-income communities and communities of color, from accessing and advancing in creative careers
Understand emerging models in Massachusetts and nationally: public-private partnerships, early college and dual enrollment pathways, employer-engaged pipeline development, and placemaking strategies
Recognize how AI and automation are increasing the economic value of human creative competencies, and what that means for education, training and investment
Identify opportunities for philanthropic alignment, reduced fragmentation, and coordinated action across the field
Panel: Voices from the Field