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Jason Schupbach appointed as the Massachusetts Office of Business Development’s new Creative Economy Industry Director

The state of Massachusetts has taken a bold step in recognizing the creative sector as a driving force in economic development. Governor Deval Patrick has appointed Jason Schupbach, formerly with the Massachusetts Cultural Council and a member of the Americans for the Arts Emerging Leader Council, as the Massachusetts Office of Business Development’s new Creative Economy Industry Director. The Office of Business Development is the first state-level economic development agency in the nation to embrace this innovative position, which parallels other positions dedicated to defense, biotechnology, information technology and manufacturing. Being placed on the same economic pedestal as these other powerful industries is an important step for the arts.

Schupbach will help to expand the creative sector by giving artists, cultural organizations, and other creative types such as graphic designers and filmmakers the tools they need for success. While at Massachusetts Cultural Council, he was the director of ArtistLink, which connects artists with work spaces and serves as an artists’ advocate in the real estate community. He has brought that skill set to this new position, advocating for creativity throughout the business world. “A strong creative economy translates into a strong overall economy,” Schupbach said, “I’m very excited to collaborate with the state legislature and the creative community to help make Massachusetts an even more appealing place for creative businesses and individuals.”

In addition to creating the creative economy director position, the state also has a cultural economic development grant fund run by the Massachusetts Cultural Council that has been active for 10 years and made cultural facilities funds readily available. In Massachusetts, there are more than 14,000 arts-related businesses, and the state’s cultural workforce includes over 100,000 jobs. The state’s Creative Industries website says, “We understand that the creative economy requires industry-specific policies, strategies and investments, and we are eager to work with industry stakeholders to determine what are the smartest tools we can use—and policy choices we can make—to support and grow this important sector of our economy.” Governor Patrick’s administration is also dedicating the month of June to highlighting the Commonwealth’s creative businesses and organizations.