This week on Open Studio, Jared Bowen talks to Gov. Maura Healey about her arts and culture agenda, plus her own passions when it comes to the arts. Then, former U.S. poet laureate Tracy K. Smith joins the show for National Poetry Month.
As a former professional basketball player, Gov. Maura Healey is a known sports fan, but her passion for the arts runs just as deep. Jared Bowen recently sat down with the governor to talk about her arts and culture agenda — from her
2024 budget plan,
Healey also sees an opportunity to showcase people who have not always been represented in the arts. She said, "One of the things that I'm looking to do as governor is to uplift and amplify voices, faces, stories, [and] artists who have not been as widely profiled."
Healey says she's hoping to be able to do some of this within the State House, from having artists' works on view to inviting artists into state agencies. "Imagine our roadways and bridges, think about the ways we can incorporate art into that."
When asked what her "go-to" is when she wants to experience the local arts and culture scene, Healey says she likes everything the state has to offer, from galleries, to open studios, to bookstores, to live theater and live music, "we have such a variety of music halls and concert venues around the state. There’s no shortage of things to take in."
From there, we continue to celebrate National Poetry Month with former U.S. poet laureate and Pulitzer prize-winner Tracy K. Smith. Her latest book, “
Such Color
Finally, we head to Columbus, Ohio by way of our PBS partner, WOSU, to meet artist Ron Anderson. Though he is an illustrator and painter, he primarily sees himself as a storyteller who creates narratives and characters that will pull the viewer in.