Each spring, we encourage Local Cultural Councils (LCCs) to gather community input to better inform council priorities for each granting season. Input can be gathered from in-person conversations, public convenings, and/or through surveys. Collecting viewpoints from members of the community can help LCC members better understand the community’s needs, interests, and knowledge of local resources.
Congratulation to the recipients of our 2019 Spring/Summer Festivals grants. 137 festivals were awarded grants of $500 each.
Mass Cultural Council is much more than a grant maker. We provide the services, consultation, and support that assure that every tax dollar we invest in the cultural landscape of Massachusetts delivers meaningful impact for our residents. Our services are only possible because of the hours staff spend supporting constituents. Since July 1, 2018 Mass Cultural Council staff have...
As Spring slowly inches across the Commonwealth, we’re reminded of all that the season evokes; hope, natural changes, and new growth. But for municipalities throughout Massachusetts the annual sentiment is more reminiscent to Leo Tolstoy’s words in Anna Karenina, “Spring is the time of plans and projects.” Nothing symbolizes this more than the creation, proposal, and adoption of a municipality’s annual budget.
Culture and community are intertwined, with each feeding into the other; neither can thrive in any meaningful way without individuals and institutions seeing and acknowledging the value of all those who make up our communities.
Congratulations to Massachusetts' 329 Local Cultural Councils (LCCs) for awarding over 6,300 grants totaling almost $4M in fiscal year 2019!
Thanks to all who joined our 13 regional meetings across the state last summer, giving us an opportunity to talk about our strategic plan and Power of Culture messaging platform. Did you know that we’ve also created a messaging platform to help you make a compelling case for arts and culture in your community?
In November 2016, I relocated to the Greater Boston area from Dayton, OH just days after the Presidential election. As I reflect upon my first few days, months, and years in Boston, I was always asked “where do you live” or “where are you from?”
Congratulations to the Fall/Winter grantees from our Festivals Program! Celebrate the vibrancy of our communities at these festivals - and more - throughout the season.
Festivals evoke joy, awe, and a sense of place as people encounter experiences and each other in public spaces. As anyone who has organized a festival knows, it takes enormous dedication and resources to create an event that resonates with residents and visitors, and builds upon the historical and present fabric of a place, while looking toward the future. In light of the commitment and energy required, why is it that communities decide to host festivals, and what are some essential ingredients necessary in executing a “successful” festival? Belchertown and Northborough Cultural Councils share their stories as first-time festival organizers.
