1. United States
2. Mich.
3. Letter

Keep Michigan Creative: Sustain Arts Council Funding for Our Schools I am writing to urge you to protect our children's future by sustaining full funding for the Michigan Arts and Culture Council (MACC). The proposed elimination of the MACC in the 2027 budget is unacceptable.. The arts are not a disposable luxury; they are a fundamental pillar of a complete education. MACC grants provide indispensable resources—like equipment and field trip transportation—that bring learning to life. From introducing rural Sparta elementary students to global cultures through visiting Caribbean steel drum musicians, to funding immersive local history and hands-on museum programs in Lowell, this council fills critical gaps when school budgets face constraints. Research consistently links arts education to superior academic and social outcomes. Defunding the MACC would make Michigan the only state in the country without a state-funded arts agency, jeopardizing $18 billion in economic activity and stripping students of vital cognitive and creative benefits. Our cultural infrastructure is essential to keeping Michigan a vibrant place to live and learn. Please vote to protect our students and restore full funding to the MACC.