CCAC Transition to MVA: What It Means for Marianas Artists

The Commonwealth Council for Arts and Culture (CCAC) is in the process of moving out from under the CNMI Department of Community and Cultural Affairs (DCCA) and into the Marianas Visitors Authority (MVA). Here’s what’s happening, why, and what it could mean for artists and cultural practitioners across the islands.

What changed

On August 6, 2026, Governor David M. Apatang signed Executive Order 2026-014, which moves oversight of the Arts Council from DCCA to the CNMI’s tourism agency, MVA. Under the order, the Arts Council keeps its existing statutory responsibilities but now reports to MVA’s executive director. CCAC had operated as a division of DCCA for decades before this order. (islapublic.org)

The transfer formally began on August 13, when representatives from DCCA, CCAC, the CNMI Office of Grants Management, and MVA met to start the transition process. (MVA)

Why the move is happening

Governor Apatang has tied the decision to the CNMI’s broader tourism strategy, framing arts and cultural preservation as inseparable from how the islands market themselves to visitors. House Floor Leader Marissa Flores, who chairs the House Committee on Tourism, made a similar case earlier this year, arguing publicly that the CNMI cannot promote itself as a destination without fully incorporating the culture that defines it. (islapublic.org)

MVA Board Chairman Warren Villagomez has echoed that reasoning, describing the move as a way to better showcase Chamorro and Carolinian culture as part of the CNMI’s tourism promotion.

There’s also a practical driver: long-standing delays in getting grant payments out to artists and cultural practitioners. DCCA Secretary Francisco Rabauliman has said CCAC grant applications had to move through several layers of review, and the Office of Grants Management is now stepping in to help speed up processing and payments.

Not everyone agrees on the fix

The move hasn’t been without debate. A recent opinion piece in the Marianas Variety raised a fair question: if the Office of Grants Management can fix the payment backlog on its own, does that require moving CCAC to MVA at all, or could the same reforms have happened without a change in oversight? The piece argued that fixing slow payments and deciding CCAC’s long-term institutional home are two separate questions worth answering on their own terms.

What this means for our community

For the artists, makers, and cultural practitioners in the Marianas Artists Collective, this transition is worth watching closely — CCAC has historically been a key source of grants, exhibition support, and program funding for the local arts community. As oversight shifts to MVA, we’ll be following:

  • Whether grant processing speeds up as OGM’s involvement increases
  • Any changes to how artists apply for or access CCAC programs and support
  • New collaboration opportunities between artists and MVA’s tourism promotion efforts
  • Public board meetings, where CCAC’s Acting Board Chair Julie Duenas has said updates will be announced

We’ll continue to share updates here as the transition moves forward. If you have questions about how this affects your own grant applications or CCAC programs, DCCA and CCAC representatives have said they’re committed to an orderly transition process.

Sources:

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