Massachusetts: EBT Card to Culture

Knowing that serving underserved communities starts with effective outreach and engagement strategies, the Massachusetts Cultural Council partnered with another state agency—the Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) within the Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services—to ensure equitable access to arts and cultural opportunities around the state for low-income residents. Through the new EBT Card to Culture program, Mass Cultural Council and DTA are enabling free or discounted admission at nearly 140 nonprofit arts, history and science venues for families, older adults and people with a disability who receive state-supported Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits and/or transitional or emergency cash assistance. There is no cost for organizations to participate in the program, and they individually determine the extent of their discount or gratis offerings. Currently, Mass Cultural Council and DTA are unable to subsidize participating groups, but they do provide marketing benefits, such as directly promoting the program and its partner organizations to 450,000 EBT cardholders. Furthermore, the program’s strong community focus and commitment to inclusivity—which support the goals of Mass Cultural Council’s Universal Participation (UP) Initiative—may spark new fundraising and partnership opportunities for affiliated organizations. To learn more, contact the Council’s Cultural Investment Portfolio Program Officer Kalyn King.