Northborough Cultural Council
Northborough Cultural Council’s Vision Statement:
The Northborough Cultural Council supports diversified programs in the arts, humanities and interpretive sciences for the cultural benefit and enrichment of its citizens.
We accomplish these goals by:
* Establishing funding priorities that aim to bring community-oriented arts, music, humanities and science projects to Northborough
* Forging partnerships that create and expand opportunities for the arts
* Cultivating new resources needed to promote the arts in Northborough
* Using the arts as a means for understanding among cultures
* Advocating for increased awareness and access to the arts
Contact
Terry Underwood
[email protected]
508-393-5040
https://www.town.northborough.ma.us/cultural-council
Address
Town Hall
63 Main Street
Northborough, MA 01532-1994
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Application Information
FY26 Allocation
$8,400
FY26 Local Priorities
Northborough 2025 Local Council Granting Priorities
Supporting the 2025-2026 Grant Cycle
NCC Funding Priorities:
1. Arts, Humanities, and Sciences programs that have a maximum impact, serving the largest number of Northborough residents.
2. Preference is given to Northborough-based organizations and residents, for collaboration or programming for public benefit within the Town of Northborough.
3. Programs that are financial collaboratives between various organizations where NCC grants are not the sole source of funding.
4. Community-wide exhibit, performance, demonstration, and reading, with an important component of public benefit is advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, access, and non-discrimination, to be widely advertised and promoted.
5. Foster partnerships to create and expand opportunities for the arts.
6. Additional consideration will be given to emerging Northborough artists engaging in small-scale events or new to the granting process
Additional Notes:
Incomplete grant applications may be denied funding.
FY26 Local Guidelines
Northborough Cultural Council’s Guidelines 2025-2026
Supporting the 2025-2026 Granting Cycle
Local Cultural Councils use the first three rules listed below in reviewing all funding decisions. All three rules are equally important. Additionally, councils have the option of developing local review criteria and may decide how to weigh their importance:
Arts, Humanities, and Sciences
Public Benefit
Non-Discrimination
Local Priorities
Arts, Humanities, and Sciences
LCC funds may only be used to support programs in the arts, humanities, and sciences in Massachusetts. This definition includes the study, pursuit, performance, exhibition, and appreciation of cultural activities in the broadest sense.
How does the Mass Cultural Council define the arts, humanities, and sciences?
Arts refer to the creation of work in the crafts and performing, visual, media, folk, design, literary, and inter-disciplinary arts. In addition, they also include the presentation and preservation of, and education about works in these disciplines.
Humanities are types of learning that deal with human values and aspirations, human thought and culture, language, and creativity. Examples include, but are not limited to, history, social studies, philosophy, criticism, and literature.
Sciences are limited to its cultural, interpretive, and educational expression and refers to types of learning that deal with nature, science, and technology in ways that explain how they relate to people’s lives. Some organizations that conduct this type of activity include aquariums, botanical gardens, nature centers, natural history museums, planetariums, and science centers.
Public Benefit
LCC funds must support activities that contribute to the cultural vitality of the community rather than benefiting any private individual or group. However, this does not mean that a large crowd of people needs to participate to satisfy the public benefit requirement. Whenever possible, activities funded by LCCs should be available to the public or community by exhibit, performance, demonstration, reading, or other means. An important component of public benefit is advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and access.
Non-Discrimination
In accordance with state law, LCCs may not discriminate against applicants based on race, gender, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, disability, sexual orientation, or age, nor may they fund projects that discriminate based on these attributes.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires that persons with disabilities have access to public programs or services on an equal basis with the rest of the general public.
Northborough Cultural Council prioritizes grant applicants to assure direct benefit to the Northborough community. The activity must take place in Northborough, be advertised and open to the public, and must be accessible to everyone.
How Grant Recipients Are Paid
Reimbursement Grants
FY26 Funding List
| Name | Project Title | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Algonquin Regional High School | A (Graphic) Novel Experience | $500 | Anderson, Christine Ann | Natural Revelations: The Art & Craft of Pounding Flora | $200 | Assabet Valley Mastersingers Inc. | AVM’s 2026 Spring Concert: The Time Has Come | $600 | Charles River Sinfonietta, Inc. | CRS Chamber Music for Applefest 2026 | $400 | Gupta, Bindu | Dot Mandala | $350 | Hayden, Lisa | Coastal Visions: paintings and photography | $350 | Kirouac, Daniel | Creeque Alley - 1960s Folk-Rock Retrospective | $340 | MUSIC Dance.edu | Hip Hop Chair Dance for Seniors! | $250 | Massachusetts Educational Theater Guild, Inc. | The Massachusetts High School Drama Festival | $550 | Meetinghouse Arts Center Northborough | MAC Concert Series, Open Mic and Gallery | $200 | Northborough Area Community Chorus, Inc. | Spring 2026 Concert "A Patriotic Celebration" | $550 | Northborough Community Affairs Committee | 2026 Summer Concert Series | $600 | Northborough Historical Society, Inc. | Timber Frame Construction in Early New England" | $200 | Northborough Recreation Department | Rec Connects 2026 Events | $700 | Northborough Senior Center | Historical Enactment of Abigail Adams | $400 | Ogar, Susan | Shine Your Light | $400 | Phillips, Gary | Native Plant Seed Distribution | $483 | Robert E. Melican Middle School | World Dancers | $450 | Rockin' the Boroughs | You Can't Sit Down! | $400 | Silvia, Elizabeth | The Banannies Live! | $250 | Women of Note, Incorporated | Women of Note 2025-2026 Concert Series | $500 | York, Matt | Matt York - Classic Country Revue | $250 |