The Mayor's Office of Arts, Tourism and Special Events (MOATSE) is committed to supporting civic life in the City of Boston through public programming for the benefit and enjoyment of both residents and visitors to the city. Our goal is to foster the growth of the cultural community, promote participation in the arts and public celebrations and increase cultural tourism in Boston. MOATSE provides advocacy, promotion, funding and technical assistance for over 1,200 cultural institutions in Boston and over 4,000 self-employed artists.

MOATSE has effectively served Boston’s residents and visitors, along with the city’s cultural community, in the following ways:

- producing over 150 year-round events including festivals, concerts, exhibitions and public celebrations both downtown and in Boston’s 19 neighborhoods;

- diversifying cultural programming opportunities through presentations such as: (ähts): the Boston Arts Festival, the Waterfront Performing Arts Series, the Hip-Hop Festival, the Gospel Festival and Caliente!: The Latin Music Festival;

- ensuring that Boston youth have access to arts education through programs such as the Mayor’s Mural Crew and the Strand Theatre;

- and fostering the care and advancement of public art in conjunction with the Boston Art Commission, the Browne Fund and others.