CCTV Relocates, Expands Offerings Thanks to $250,000 From Cultural Facilities Fund

February 29, 2012

Contacts:
Kelsey Abbruzzese, MassDevelopment, 617-330-2086 & 617-448-9077
Greg Liakos, Mass. Cultural Council, (617) 727-3668 x343
Susan Fleischmann, CCTV, 617-401-4004

MassDevelopment and the Massachusetts Cultural Council have provided a $250,000 Cultural Facilities Fund grant to Cambridge Community Television (CCTV), a community media center that provides training and access to media production tools for residents, businesses, and organizations in Cambridge. CCTV used the grant to relocate to a new facility, which now houses its expanding media arts and education programs. The new facility will also increase opportunities for creative expression and help CCTV respond to the media and technology needs of the community.

“MassDevelopment is pleased to help CCTV, a prominent public outlet for Cantabrigians, to expand its reach and open doors for a growing number of residents and organizations interested in participating in the civic discourse,” said MassDevelopment President and CEO Marty Jones.

Located in Cambridge’s Central Square, CCTV fosters free speech and creative expression while collaborating with a wide variety of community institutions. CCTV engages Cantabrigians as producers and viewers, creating media as informative, engaging, and diverse as Cambridge itself.

“The Cultural Facilities Fund is a critical component in maintaining the health and well-being of the Commonwealth’s arts and cultural organizations,” said CCTV’s Executive Director Susan Fleischmann. “The support of Governor Patrick, the Legislature, MassDevelopment, and the Massachusetts Cultural Council is a testament to the value placed on our institutions. Without this funding, CCTV would have been burdened by long-term debt and hampered in our ability to expand programming to better serve our community.”

MassDevelopment and the Massachusetts Cultural Council administer the Cultural Facilities Fund, an initiative of the Commonwealth to increase public and private investment in cultural facilities throughout the state. Created by the Massachusetts Legislature in 2006, the Fund offers capital grants, feasibility and technical assistance grants, and systems replacement grants for eligible nonprofits engaged in the arts, humanities, or interpretive sciences. The Fund has awarded more than $44 million in grants to more than 200 cultural organizations across Massachusetts. For more information, visit the MassDevelopment and Massachusetts Cultural Council websites.

MassDevelopment, the state’s finance and development agency, works with businesses, nonprofits, financial institutions, and communities to stimulate economic growth across the Commonwealth. During FY2011, MassDevelopment financed or managed more than 300 projects generating investment of $3.8 billion in the Massachusetts economy. These projects are projected to create more than 10,000 jobs (2,547 permanent and 8,129 construction), and build or rehabilitate more than 1,000 residential units.