Nantucket Cultural Council
Nantucket Cultural Council is a volunteer group part of the Town of Nantucket’s Boards, Committees, and Councils. The group is overseen by the Town of Nantucket Director of Culture and Tourism. We focus on distributing Mass Cultural Council grant money to fund public programming in the arts, humanities, and sciences on Nantucket.
The purpose of the Nantucket Cultural Council is to promote and maintain the vitality of local cultural resources and to ensure these resources are shared within the Nantucket community. The council is committed to funding a diverse cross-section of activities. We support a broad variety of art forms, the ongoing work of individual artists, environmental education projects, collaborative proposals that bring together artists and other types of organizations, local cultural groups and projects that serve specific populations, including, but not limited to: youth, elders, low-income, disabled. Granting funds to individual artists, cultural organizations, schools, and other community groups fund exhibitions, performances, lectures, artist residencies in the schools, and more. Many of these projects bring an arts discipline to a new audience, complement the education of our young people, or connect artists’ work to everyday life. They promote the uniqueness of a community, foster community pride, bring people together, and provide a sense of celebration for the community. Our mission is that, The Local Cultural Council of Nantucket grants connect people and places in creative, dynamic, and exciting ways, that help strengthen the social fiber of our community, and improve the quality of life
Address
16 Broad Street
Nantucket, MA 02554-3500
Application Information
FY25 Allocation
$5,700
FY25 Local Priorities
The Nantucket Cultural Council gathers input from the community and develops funding priorities based on this feedback. This year the Nantucket Cultural Council will give priority to:
– Applicants that have secured a local venue
– Projects with a specific date or timeline
– Projects that serve the elderly
– Projects that serve children
– Projects with an arts education & instruction focus
– New projects
– Projects that encourage diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging
While we ultimately hope to provide enough funding for each applicant that meets this criteria, we know we are not always able to do so. We prioritize partially funding multiple projects rather than eliminating applicants based on lack of available funds; however, if we deem that the amount available is not sufficient to make a financial impact on the project, we may choose not to contribute funding.
FY25 Local Guidelines
The purpose of the Nantucket Cultural Council is to promote and maintain the vitality of local cultural resources and to ensure these resources are shared within the Nantucket community. The Council is committed to funding a diverse cross-section of activities. We support a broad variety of art forms, the ongoing work of individual artists, environmental education projects, collaborative proposals that bring together artists and other organizations, local cultural groups and projects that serve specific populations, including, but not limited to: youth, elders, low-income, disabled.
Applications are evaluated in terms of several review criteria: artistic or creative merit; project design; qualifications, dedication and track record of the individuals and organizations involved; physical accessibility of any facilities being used; and community benefit/involvement. Proposals from schools and libraries must not request support for activities that should be or used to be part of the municipal budget (i.e., teacher salaries, classroom supplies, school-sponsored clubs and organizations, library books/videos, etc.). Enrichment projects utilizing outside professionals are allowed. Nantucket-based applicants are given preference over those from out of town. The council will carefully scrutinize repeated requests; such proposals should show other sources of support to show the project is not dependent solely on council funding.
Applicants can be: a) arts, humanities or interpretive science organizations; b) individuals including artists, science educators, historians or other humanists, parents, community members, etc.; c) community organizations including, but not limited to, schools, social service organizations, civic groups, neighborhood centers, youth, senior and family associations, etc. Incorporated organizations must be nonprofit; unincorporated associations must have a nonprofit purpose. Individual applicants are required to be residents for at least one year; organizations must be organized and operating in the state for at least one year.
Applications are available at the Nantucket Cultural Council website through the Massachusetts Cultural Council at http://www.mass-culture.org. Applications open on September 1st and must be submitted by October 16th.
Info Session — September 5
Application deadline — October 16
Notification of Application Status — December 2nd
Final reports & payment requests due — by December 2, 2025 (one year from final approval notification)
The local council reviews all applications and submits its funding recommendations to the Massachusetts Cultural Council. Applicants should not implement any project or publicize receipt of any award until official state approval has been received since the MCC may overturn or amend local decisions.
How Grant Recipients Are Paid
Direct Grants
FY25 Funding List
A grant list will be published here after January 17, 2025 and once the Local Cultural Council has finalized their decisions.
