Empowering Creatives, Enriching Communities
The Springfield Cultural Partnership (SCP) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to fostering civic engagement, arts education, and a vibrant cultural environment across Springfield, Massachusetts. Founded in 2016, SCP connects artists, institutions, and audiences to strengthen the city’s cultural economy and creative ecosystem.
SCP oversees the Springfield Central Cultural District (SCCD), designated by the Mass Cultural Council in 2014, which spans a core downtown area. Together with SCCD, SCP builds lasting partnerships to deliver accessible, inclusive, and enriching cultural experiences for all. In 2018, SCP co-signed the Springfield Cultural Compact alongside the City of Springfield, Springfield Cultural Council, and Mass Cultural Council to formalize collaboration across city and state cultural efforts. See SCCD Boundaries here.
Karen Finn is the Executive Director of the Springfield Cultural Partnership (SCP), which oversees the Springfield Central Cultural District and co-founded the nationally recognized “Trust Transfer Project.” Since 2018, Karen has been driving SCP’s mission to cultivate a vibrant and sustainable arts and cultural environment in Springfield. Under her leadership, SCP has made significant strides in fostering economic development, advocacy, building impactful partnerships, and deepening community engagement through the arts.
Her diverse career includes Princeton University’s Mamdouha S. Bobst Center for Peace & Justice, as well as roles in private industry and the federal government. Karen holds an MBA and is a recipient of the prestigious U.S. Presidential Management Fellowship.
Kali Green is the Creative Director for Springfield Cultural Partnership. She supports our programming, collaborations, marketing and weekly “Thank an Artist” segment on WTCC 90.7 FM. Kali uses her creative talents to highlight arts and culture within Springfield.
Kali is a Springfield native, artist, Make-It Springfield fellow, and graduate of AIC. Her passion for the local arts ecosystem allows her to challenge the bounds of how to best elevate the partnership and community creatives.
She is highly involved in supporting Springfield’s local arts and cultural community.
Vanessa Ford is the Program Director for Trust Transfer Project, a CDC-supported initiative that empowers artists of color to create culturally relevant community health messaging. This initiative allows our local artists to lead in health messaging that will directly impact the lives of their family, neighbors and friends, offering a unique opportunity for us to depend on one another to share and receive health messages in a creative and inspirational way. Initially designed to build trust through the eyes of the most impacted by Covid-19, Trust Transfer Project is also focused on community care centered around Mental Wellness and Food Justice by transforming the health of our communities one artistic message at a time. Trust Transfer Project is a partnership between Community Music School of Springfield and Springfield Cultural Partnership.
Members and Donors Make Our Work Possible. Thank you!
The success of the Springfield Cultural Partnership is due in large part to the spectacular partner organizations that support us. OUR PARTNERS AND DONORS MAKE SCP POSSIBLE!
Investor Members
New England Public Media
Members
Funders
Our Mission, Vision and Values
Springfield Cultural Partnership’s Mission is to foster civic engagement and arts education in the City of Springfield by creating and sustaining a vibrant cultural environment, authentically engaging institutions, artists, and the community.
The Springfield Cultural Partnership’s Vision is to succeed as a significant force in the region’s creative community by contributing to economic vitality and cultural enrichment. The Cultural Partnership fosters a synergy and alignment of cultural resources that create an enriching, welcoming experience for Springfield visitors and residents alike.
Values: Collaboration, Community, Diversity & Inclusion, Innovation, Respect
Accessibility & Cultural Equity
Springfield Cultural Partnership is committed to accessibility and inclusion for people with disabilities in our programs. While we are limited in certain ways, due to our lack of physical programming space, we will do everything we can to support full participation for all when utilizing partner, community and other spaces. Read more
Springfield Cultural Partnership commits to championing policies and practices of cultural equity that empower a just, inclusive, and equitable region. We believe that equity is crucial to the long-term viability of both the arts and culture sector and communities-at-large. Read more
Board of Directors
SCP’s Board is composed of Springfield-based leaders and community advocates representing arts organizations, education, media, economic development, and more.
Officers
Chair of the Board – Eileen McCaffery, Community Music School of Springfield
Vice Chair – Andrew Cade, Springfield Cultural Council
Treasurer – Michelle Grout, Springfield Business Improvement District
Clerk – Richard Griffin, MassDevelopment
Investor Partners
Investor Members each designate a representative to the SCP Board of Directors as voting members on the SCP Board of Directors.
At-Large Partners
Jamila Jackson, Embodied Leadership Project
Russell Peotter
Shannon Rudder, MLK Jr. Family Services
Sierra Meyers, Art for the Soul Gallery
Theresa Glenn, City of Springfield, Department of Health and Human Services
Ex-Officio Partners
Andrew Cade, Springfield Cultural Council
Kateri Walsh, Springfield City Council
Latoya Smith, City of Springfield, Office of Planning and Economic Development
Molly Fogarty, Springfield City Library