Please welcome Boston's Artist Resource Manager!

This new role within the Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture was conceived of during the Boston Creates Cultural Plan process. It’s a direct response to all the creative people who expressed to us again and again their frustrations with navigating the channels of city government.

Throughout the Boston Creates process, we heard about a lack of clarity as to what permissions or approvals are needed for cultural events or art installations in the City. We were also reminded about the difficulties faced by those who plan the same event every year.  Others are discouraged by the whole idea of needing permission to do something creative, they end up not pursuing their project. We recognize that there is a lot of room for improvement and with the establishment of the Artist Resource Manager position, we aim to provide an entirely new level of service to the cultural community.

Julia Ryan will be available to the creative community in Boston as a resource - a cultural “maven” if you will - who will listen, inform, connect and troubleshoot. She will walk you through what’s needed from City government to ensure your project is a success.  In turn, we’ll provide your feedback to our colleagues at other City agencies on how the processes  can be improved. We want to  make city government more accessible, welcoming, and responsive to artists.

We also hear from artists who are looking for other resources, ranging from finding space partners to looking for potential collaborators. The Artist Resource Manager is meant to be “one-stop-shopping”,  connecting people to information, organizations, and grant opportunities. As we help more and more folks, we’ll be aggregating the information on who we serve, what their needs are, and how we were able to help.  We will create FAQ’s and information summaries which we will make available on our web site. We’ll also use the information to more closely focus our efforts on issues that are most widely impacting the cultural community. Removing barriers and obstacles to success and connecting artists with resources and partners are key to creating  the “fertile ground” necessary for a vibrant and sustainable arts and culture ecosystem in Boston. 

Julia Ryan can be reached at 617-635-ARTS, at julia.ryan@boston.gov or in person at City Hall in Room 802. You’ll likely see her at a cultural event or a City of Boston Open House - be sure to say “hi” and tell her how you create in Boston.