The Newton Cultural Alliance presented an Arts & Culture Candidate Forum on October 10 at the Allen Center in West Newton.
The attending candidates for Massachusetts House of Representative seats were Amy Sangiolo and Vlad Yanovsky, Democratic and Republican nominees respectively, for the 11th Middlesex district, and Dr. Greg Schwartz, the Democratic nominee for the 12th district. Schwartz is unopposed in the November election.
The three candidates discussed their arts policies and philosophies. Retiring 11th Middlesex district State Representative Kay Khan moderated the discussion. Most of the audience attendees were representatives from Newton’s many arts organizations.
The forum began with comments from Representative Khan, who noted she was a co-founder of the Newton Cultural Alliance. Next, each candidate offered personal arts histories. Sangiolo described her early experiences in dance, acting, and piano playing, and said she studied piano at the Juilliard School. Yanovsky said he was classically trained in violin and opera and grew up “in a family of Bohemians behind the Iron Curtain.”
Schwartz said his personal arts background was less extensive than those of the other candidates and described his family’s immense pleasure when he gave up playing clarinet. Describing the importance of the arts, Schwartz recounted a recent experience as a practicing physician, seeing the joy that music brought to two hospice patients.
Sangiolo and Schwartz advocated for increased government funding for the arts, stating many benefits that arts bring to Newton and the larger society. Sangiolo described her support for the arts as a Newton City Councilor, and especially for arts education in the public schools. Schwartz and Sangiolo spoke of the benefits of arts organizations partnering with local colleges and universities. Sangiolo advocated for government support for performance spaces and housing for the arts and artists.
Yanovsky stated his belief in the importance of arts. However, he is opposed to government funding for the arts. He said his position on the arts came from his upbringing in the Soviet Union where the arts were paid for by the government, however the Party dictated the content of the arts. He advocated “harnessing the power of the private sector” for funding the arts and said that individuals who contribute directly to the arts are vested in their success and are likely to continue to donate.
An audience member asked the candidates how local arts organizations should work with the state to help support the arts in Newton. Sangiolo said that the most likely route to success was if the arts organization could unite in support of a particular project, and she said she believed that the local state legislators could aid in directing available funding. Schwartz said he would collaborate with outgoing representatives Balser and Khan to identify how to build coalitions at the Statehouse to help fund for the arts in Newton.
There were many calls from the audience for more and varied arts spaces in Newton. Schwartz asked audience members what types of spaces were most needed. Several representatives of arts organizations stated the need for large performance spaces.
...Other News...
11th Middlesex State Representative candidates Sangiolo and Yanovsky spar over government’s role, housing, and transit
Chinese American Association of Newton: Candidates forum for two open State House seats
JCRC in conversation with candidates for the 11th and 12th Middlesex House seats
Climate groups host forum for State Representative candidates