Martha's Vineyard Cultural Council
The Martha’s Vineyard Cultural Council is part of the Massachusetts Cultural Council’s Local Cultural Council program, formed more than a quarter century ago. The MVCC’s mission is to promote excellence, access, education, or diversity in the arts, humanities and interpretative sciences for the purpose of improving the quality of life for all of the Island’s residents.
Contact
[email protected]
508-687-0043
https://massculturalcouncil.org/local-council/marthas-vineyard/
Address
1059 State Road
West Tisbury, MA 02575-5003
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Application Information
FY26 Allocation
$34,200
FY26 Local Priorities
– Grant applicants who are not based on Martha’s Vineyard must include a letter of support from a Martha’s Vineyard partner or host specifically describing how the project would benefit the Island community. If a letter is not included, the project will be ineligible for consideration.
– In addition to the funds allocated by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, the MVCC is funded through the generosity of the six Martha’s Vineyard towns (Aquinnah, Chilmark, Edgartown, Oak Bluffs, Tisbury, and West Tisbury), and its own fundraising efforts.
FY26 Local Guidelines
– The project promotes excellence, education, and diversity in the arts, humanities, or interpretive sciences for the purpose of improving the quality of life for all the Island’s residents.
– The project is widely accessible to island residents.
– The project addresses an identifiable and relevant interest to the Martha’s Vineyard community.
– The project’s objectives are clearly stated, and the outcomes are realistic and attainable.
– There are qualified, dependable individuals in place to carry out the project to its completion.
– There is a clear plan to promote and market the project to the community.
– The budget is thorough and demonstrates how it can realistically accomplish the project’s funding needs and objectives.
– The project impacts the entire Martha’s Vineyard community to the greatest extent possible.
How Grant Recipients Are Paid
Direct Grants
FY26 Funding List
| Name | Project Title | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Aquinnah Cultural Center, Inc. | Annual Native Artisans Market and Festival | $5,250 | Aquinnah Variety Show | Aquinnah Variety Show | $500 | Baptista, Candida Rose | KabuMerikanus - The Sum of US: Songs, Sounds, and Rhythms of Cabo Verde | $1,925 | Bender, Abby L. | Built on Stilts | $4,000 | Bender, Abby L. | Schmantze Theatre's Membership Down! 5I5TER5 of The Ark, Collab Intensives and other new work | $2,600 | Bender, Abby L. | The Comedy in Performance Festival | $1,700 | Blactina Media | Black Children's Reading Corner | $1,400 | Blactina Media | Dorothy's Daughters: A Writing Workshop & Tea in Celebration of Dorothy West | $740 | Circuit Arts, Inc. | Spirits & Spirits | $2,700 | Circuit Arts, Inc. | The Vineyard's Drive-In At the YMCA | $3,450 | Circuit Arts, Inc. | The Martha’s Vineyard Film Festival | $4,000 | DE CASTRO BORGES, MARCIA | FULFILLING FUTURE SAUDADE | $2,000 | Edgartown Board of Trade, Inc. | Christmas In Edgartown Live Music | $1,820 | Feiffer, Kate | Islanders Write | $2,800 | Friends of the Edgartown Free Public Library, Inc. | Sounds Like Summer: Music on the Lawn | $3,150 | Friends of the Up Island Council on Aging | Up Island Council on Aging Theater Trip to see the Lion King, PPAC | $500 | Galaxy Arts MV, Inc. | Arts In The Parks | $1,000 | Gross, Lisa | Camera, Movement, Sound - A Multidisciplinary Workshop | $2,450 | Island Community Chorus, Inc. | Guest Artists Enriching Island Community Chorus Performances | $2,100 | JR Creative LLC | Active Arts Movement Class for Daycares and Preschools | $2,800 | JR Creative LLC | Active Arts Summer Camp | $2,100 | Karalekas, Alex | Chilmark Community Potluck | $3,680 | Kirn, Roberta | Winter Concert and Community Sings | $3,550 | Ladyfest MV, Inc. | LADYFEST MV | $4,000 | Martha's Vineyard Agricultural Society | Mini Fair and Grow Zone: Building Out Family Education at the Agricultural Fair | $4,200 | Martha's Vineyard Agricultural Society | 2026 Harvest Festival | $3,100 | Martha's Vineyard Ballroom Dance | Local Off-Season — Dance & Music | $1,600 | Martha's Vineyard Center for Living, Inc. | Generations Together | $2,500 | Martha's Vineyard Center for Living, Inc. | Nature - Bringing Generations of Islanders Together | $1,260 | Martha's Vineyard Diversity Coalition (MVDC) | (MVLL) Martha's Vineyard Living Legends: Black, Indigenous, People of Color and Immigrants Elders Oral History Project | $2,100 | Martha's Vineyard Film Society, Inc. | 12th Annual MV Documentary Week | $1,050 | Martha's Vineyard Film Society, Inc. | 21st Annual Martha's Vineyard International Film Festival (MVIFF) | $880 | Martha's Vineyard Library Association | Summer Reading Kickoff | $1,400 | Martha's Vineyard Library Association | Night Under the Rainbow Teen Pride Dance | $820 | Martha's Vineyard Playhouse, Inc. | Monday Night Movies | $1,750 | Martha's Vineyard Preservation Trust, Inc. | Independence Now & Forever: The American Revolution on Martha's Vineyard | $1,800 | Mintz, David | Recital series: the Great American Songbook | $1,350 | Nelson, Elizabeth | Belly Dancing for Seniors! | $425 | Rubin Brothers LLC | The Rubin Brothers; A Continuing Legacy of MV's Jewish Cultural Heritage | $680 | Stillpoint Marthas Vineyard, Inc. | Unwind and Recharge: Student Wellness Curriculum | $900 | TBD Improv Company | TBD Improv Annual Cast Salary | $2,020 | The Great Pond Foundation, Inc. | Beach Seine Science Day | $1,750 | Thorp, Lynn | MV Signs Then & Now - Basic MV Legacy & Sign Language Lesson Series | $1,560 | Town of Tisbury | Traditional Music for the Memorial Day Picnic at the Tashmoo Waterworks | $525 |