Gaming Mitigation Grants

Gaming Mitigation Grants

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: Mass Cultural Council
Last Updated: December 03, 2025

Summary

The Gaming Mitigation Grants support Massachusetts nonprofit and municipal performing arts centers impacted by resort-style casinos. These grants are designed to enhance the arts ecosystem, ensuring access to performances while boosting local economies. Eligible centers must primarily focus on the arts and commit significant resources to performing arts. Applications for FY26 are currently closed, with a reopening expected in FY27, providing organizations a chance to secure funding for touring shows and artist fees.

Overview

NOTE: The Gaming Mitigation Fund application is currently closed. Please note that the program guidelines and dates listed on this page are from the FY25 application and are for reference only. The Gaming Mitigation Fund will not be accepting applications in FY26 and instead will reopen for applications in FY27. Program Guidelines The Gaming Mitigation Fund provides grants to Massachusetts nonprofit and municipal performing arts centers to spend on touring shows or touring artist fees. Established by the Legislature, these grants aim to target funding to those most directly impacted by the operation of resort-style casinos. This is important because performing arts centers: Are economic engines for communitiesEnsure access to the arts across the CommonwealthAre centers of community gathering and place makingProvide young people creative learning opportunities Funding is meant to help organizations increase their buying power when directly competing with resort casinos to book touring artists.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. To be eligible, applicants must meet all three of the following characteristics:Applicants must be a performing arts center, which means:The organization’s primary mission must be to promote access, excellence, diversity, or education in the arts, humanities, or interpretive sciences.The organization commits 50% or more of their operating expenses to the performing arts. Performing arts are types of art that are presented live for an audience; examples include dance, music, opera, musical theater, theater, folk/traditional dance, and/or music.Applicants must be a Massachusetts non-profit OR a Massachusetts municipality:Non-profit performing arts centers include fully-cultural performing art centers and cultural affiliates as defined below that meet the relevant requirements for each.Fully-cultural non-profit performing arts center: A legally recognized 501(c)3 performing arts center in good standing in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. This includes non-profit performing arts centers managed by separate non-profit managing organizations.Cultural affiliate performing arts center: A semi-independent performing arts center that operates under a non-cultural parent organization.The primary mission of the cultural affiliate must be to promote access, excellence, diversity, or education in the arts, humanities, or interpretive sciences.The parent organization for the cultural affiliate must be a Massachusetts recognized non-fully cultural 501(c)3 organization. For example, a theater at a university, or a performance venue at social service organization.In order to be considered an eligible entity, in addition to meeting the eligibility requirements for all non-profit applicants, the cultural affiliate must:Manage their own budget.Have at least one full-time (min. 30 hours per week) compensated administrative staff position dedicated solely to operation of the performing arts center.Have its own advisory board that meets regularly to discuss policy, strategic direction, and resource development plans to ensure long-term sustainability.To be eligible all non-profit applicants must:Be legally recognized as a 501(c)3 non-profit organization in good standing in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.If a non-profit performing arts center has a separate managing entity, the managing entity must have a contract, lease, or deed articulating their management responsibilities.Municipally-owned performing art centers include:Municipally-owned performing arts centers managed by the municipality itself.Municipally-owned performing arts centers managed by an eligible managing organization:The managing organization must have a contract, lease, or deed articulating their management responsibilities.Eligible managing organizations include:A legally recognized 501(c)3 non-profitA for-profit managing companyApplicants must present touring shows or artists.Touring shows or artists must be an independent entity being presented as a guest at the organization.Touring artists featured in a piece produced by the applying organization are only considered an independent entity if they are considered a headliner(s) with name recognition that is used as a marketing tool.Touring shows and artists MUST ALSO meet at least TWO of the following three criteria:Appears on one of the below (or similar, but not listed) artist rosters. (Must include link to artist/show information in application.)PollstarCreativeGroundBands In TownSongkickAssociation of Performing Arts ProfessionalsCINARSHas performed in at least three states (including MA) in the last three years. (Must include link to artist/show schedule in application.)Has established artist representation. (Must include agent information from the list below, or other similarly reputable agency, in application.)CAACAMIHigh Road TouringJensen ArtistsIMG ArtistsParadigm Agency

Ineligibility

Ineligible managing organizations for municipally-owned performing arts centers include:Resort-style or slot parlor casinos For profit or non-profit managing companies that operate under the direction of resort-style or slot parlor casinos