Power of Culture Blog
Redesigning the Cultural Districts Initiative
Our cross-sector task force helped us reimagine how this work can preserve, support, and sustain our Commonwealth communities
Dawn Heinen, Digital Communications Manager
2025 marks the 45th anniversary of the Local Cultural Council (LCC) Program, and one way we are honoring this milestone is to hear from the incredible volunteers who make this vital program — the largest grassroots cultural funding network in the nation — sing.
Every city and town in Massachusetts has an LCC working to bring public programs in the arts. humanities, and sciences to their community. Here are some reflections from a few of them:
Barbara Purchia, Bedford Cultural Council member for 12 years
I was recruited by a friend on the committee.
Janil Stephens, Randolph Cultural Council member for 4 years
I wasn’t aware it existed, until I was asked to join. Best ‘yes’ decision as it made me more aware of all that is happening in my community!
Steven Durning, Holliston Cultural Council member for 6 years
I retired and wanted to volunteer some of my time to the town. The arts have always been important to me.
Barbara: Using a Community Input Survey suggestion to implement a (still in-progress) project.
Erica O’Brien, Sudbury Cultural Council member for 5 years
We have grown in our membership (from 5 to 9 in recent years) and our enthusiasm!
Janil: I don’t have one, I have many. Being apart of giving financial support to see others come alive with their creativity in the community is amazing and makes me proud to help make it a reality.
Rob Byrd, Walpole Cultural Council member for 3 years
Being involved in the successful effort to have the town match the funding provided by Mass Cultural Council.
Steven: When I attended a luncheon at the senior center at which there was a performance that our LCC has funded, I felt whole and grateful and part of a community. And a little proud.
Barbara: The community award recipients, and Bedford Cultural Council members.
Erica: We enjoy each other’s company. Snacks and ice breakers kick off every meeting. We have an awesome logo, designed by a member. We are respectful of each other’s opinions during grant deliberations.
Janil: We work well as a team to take care of our own. We work to make Randolph great by encouraging our residents to give back to the community.
Steven: We work together with pleasure.
Barbara: It provides more cultural opportunities and some visibility daily, to get more people involved in cultural activities.
Erica: Our work grows the presence of the arts in a sports-oriented, historic Boston suburb.
Janil: It means we see the members of our community and want to encourage them to help make Randolph the creative best it can be.
Rob: Arts and cultural programs are available to every citizen of Walpole, from kids to seniors.
Steven: Our work enhances the programming at our library, our senior center, our parks in the summer, our Historical Society, our schools; and some of the programming in surrounding towns. We help make make possible the occasional outside of the box musical events.
Barbara: The people who serve our community, volunteering their time!
Erica: The NOW Lab maker’s space at the Goodnow Library. Sky Bar. And Tippling Rock.
Rob: The Walpole Library Music Series brings great music to the town in a wonderful space
Steven: Our rail trail isn’t exactly hidden, but people from outside our town probably don’t know that you can pause on a bridge and see a muskrat swimming along, or pause to gaze at the horses looking like an image from a Virgil’s Georgics as they graze in their farm-field.
Barbara: Stained glass artwork.
Erica: Collage, photography, and music.
Rob: Guitar music.
Steven: Our singing group, the Mudville Madrigal Singers, performs chamber songs from the sixteenth century to the present. I somewhat recently self-published a memoir called “As love has willed, so I have spoken.” I’ve done a lot of drawing, too.
Barbara: The Frozen River, A Study in Scarlet, by Arthur Conan Doyle.
Erica: People’s History of the United States, by Howard Zinn. And Cher’s autobiography.
Rob: Clermont by Regina Maria Roche.
Steven: Daniel Mendelsohn’ new translation of The Odyssey, among other books.
Barbara: All Creatures Great and Small, Inspector Riccardi.
Erica: Severance, Somebody Somewhere.
Rob: Motherland: Fort Salem.
Steven: My wife and I have been watching How I Met Your Mother.
Barbara: Yes, Jennie, our 17 year old beagle (with 9 lives).
Erica: 2 cats, Patsy and Gilda.
Steven: We have a dog.
Barbara: Blues, Bluegrass, and oldies.
Erica: Alabama Shakes.
Rob: Joy Division, Rolling Stones, John Fahey, Missy Elliott, Siouxsie and the Banshees.
Steven: My favorite is the music that my singing group itself makes. I’ve always loved participatory singing. Otherwise, my Spotify account tells me, I’m unusually eclectic in my tastes.
Barbara: Clements Brothers at the New Song Music series in Bedford (a Cultural District project).
Erica: Anything at MAAM (MassArt Art Museum). GAMM Theater in Warwick has good shows. Framingham Schools had a great exhibit across grades, from elementary to high school, in Saxonville.
Rob: Conjuring the Spirit World at Peabody Essex.
Steven: The Bogberries, an indie band, at the Square Root Cafe in Roslindale.
We are highlighting LCC members throughout the year, and invite them to share a nano interview with us!
