Since 1980, Massachusetts has been home to this extensive grassroots system of public support for community arts and cultural programs unmatched anywhere else in the United States.
There are 329 local and regional councils (LCCs) that represent all 351 cities and towns in the Commonwealth. LCCs are comprised of municipally appointed volunteers who allocate state funding from Mass Cultural Council by regranting it to community-based projects in the arts, humanities, and sciences—including murals, lectures, festivals, and performances.
There are currently more than 2,400 LCC members serving statewide. Their efforts make it possible for communities to engage in and enjoy thousands of arts and cultural programs, projects, and initiatives each year.
And 2025 is no exception. To date, in FY25 LCCs have awarded 7,337 grants totaling $7,534,760. (Mass Cultural Council allocated $5,700,000 to LCCs through the LCC Program and some LCCs invested additional local and municipal funds they raised to their FY25 granting pool.)
Through these LCC grants, new and vibrant cultural programming will once again be available across the state, including:
Amesbury Cultural Council is supporting ‘Plant Paint Cross-Pollinate’, a public art mural project led by artist Jenn Houle that fosters ‘botanical belonging’ that decolonizes land and restores ecosystem health with native plants.
Auburn Cultural Council is supporting Project SARANG (SA -‘Rang’ meaning ‘Color’ in Sanskrit), which is a colorful exploration of South Asian music traditions spanning India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.
Chelsea Cultural Council is supporting Salsa In The Park, a hallmark community engagement program founded by MetaMovements that transforms public spaces through Salsa music, dance, and education.
Cultural Council of Northern Berkshire is funding a pilot project by the Hoosic River Watershed Association that uses poetry to connect people of all ages with the Hoosic River Watershed, offering seasonal poetry shares in Adams, North Adams, and Williamstown, along with outdoor eco-poetry classes for students and adults to inspire creativity through nature and community.
Great Barrington Cultural Council is supporting the E.B. Du Bois Legacy Festival 2025, an annual celebration that invites the public to engage with Du Bois’ enduring work on race, education, class, justice, and civil rights, offering opportunities for reflection and action.
Haverhill Cultural Council is supporting Public Media of New England’s Spotlight on Local Talent—Arts & Culture Focus initiative. This initiative offers cultural diversity by spotlighting the full range of arts, humanities, and interpretive sciences as no other medium can, with reports woven into 97.9 WHAV’s “Community Spotlight”, local news, and other programs via FM radio, cable TV, web, and social media.
Holden Cultural Council is supporting Drums & Strums. Central Massachusetts natives Tim and Chris Kane lead music circles combining hand drumming with ukuleles. Using a fleet of 35+ full-size djembes, frame drums, and a variety of auxiliary percussion gadgets, the father-son duo blends various cultures, such as Native American, West Africa, Brazil, Puerto Rico, Cuba, and Peru drumming with a set of 20 Ukuleles for an unforgettable indoor/outdoor experience.
Hopkinton Cultural Council is supporting the ‘Artful Connections OpenMic with Poetry, Music and Storytelling with a social justice lens’, a monthly event and collaboration between the Hopkinton Freedom Team and the Hopkinton Center for the Arts.
Lynn Cultural Council is supporting the 2025 Lynn Arts and Culture Festival. It provides a strong sense of place, brings the community together to celebrate what makes Lynn unique, and creates invaluable opportunities for small businesses and local creators to showcase their talents and connect with new customers.
Martha’s Vineyard Cultural Council is supporting the Annual Native American Artisans Festival, an event organized annually by the Aquinnah Cultural Center and is held at the Aquinnah Circle. It features Native American Artists demonstrating, exhibiting and selling a wide variety of artwork, food, song, and dances.
Nantucket Cultural Council is funding Nantucket Community Television’s FABLES, a new documentary production inspired by children and created for Nantucket families, featuring elders’ personal narratives portrayed as animal fables — the culmination of a free, six-week storytelling course at the Nantucket Lighthouse School in March 2024, where island elders shared stories, life lessons, and engaged in intergenerational dialogue with youth.
New Bedford Cultural Council is supporting the ‘We Are Still Here Series’, which will serve to educate the New Bedford community by sharing the story of Indigenous resilience & survival. Community talks/workshops will be provided by various Indigenous communities. The launch of the series highlights four of the largest indigenous communities the Wampanoag, Narragansett, Taino and Mayan peoples.
Newton Cultural Councili s supporting the ‘The Monologue Project: Voices of the Blind, Deaf and Physically Disabled’ program, an initiative that elevates the stories of Newton’s residents with disabilities through the powerful medium of personal storytelling.
Pepperell Cultural Council is leading a project to create a mural on the Nashua River Rail Trail that celebrates the natural beauty of the region and honors the rich cultural history of Pepperell’s Railroad Square area.
Springfield Cultural Council is supporting the ‘Remembering Us With Us 2025’ quilt project organized by the Springfield Dementia Friendly Coalition. The continued project involves recognizing those we have lost to a dementia related disease and helping to eliminate the shame associated with the disease.
