Billerica Cultural Council
What is the Billerica Cultural Council and its purpose?
We are a group of interested residents whose purpose is to support community-based projects and activities in the arts, humanities, and interpretive sciences to benefit the residents of Billerica. We are appointed by the Board of Selectmen to dispense public funding allocated by Mass Cultural Council, a state agency. We are responsible for informing the public about the availability of public funding for cultural projects and for reviewing and approving applications. The budget of the MCC is determined annually by the state Legislature and can be supplemented through fundraising or town appropriation.
The state’s review criteria are:
1. Support for the arts, humanities, and/or interpretive sciences
2. Public benefit
3. No substitution
4. Non-discrimination
In addition to the above state criteria, Billerica Cultural Council’s review criteria are:
– Priority will be given to grant applications that benefit the residents of the Town of Billerica.
– Priority will be given to grant applications that have a definitive plan or timeline.
– The Billerica Cultural Council encourages collaboration with local partners or organizations.
– Funding will be prioritized for artist fees directly related to the project, salaries or wages directly related to the project, space rental, marketing or promotional expenses directly related to the project, project supplies and materials including performance or other production costs, project-related curriculum materials.
– The Billerica Cultural Council encourages diversity and variety in program offerings. We encourage multi-generational, multi-cultural, and/or multi-modal projects.
Proposals are evaluated based on several considerations: benefit to the Billerica community (including projects that may benefit segments traditionally underserved by cultural activities), creativity and innovation, quality of the activity, evidence of planning, qualifications of the individual(s) who will lead the activity, track record of the sponsoring group, and clarity of proposal.
Contact
Benjamin Perry
culturalcouncil@town.billerica.ma.us
978-671-0924
https://www.town.billerica.ma.us/894/Cultural-Council
Address
Town Hall
365 Boston Road
Billerica, MA 01821-1882
Application Information
FY25 Allocation
$25,400
FY25 Local Priorities
The Billerica Cultural Council supports community-based projects and activities in the arts, humanities, and interpretive sciences to benefit the residents of Billerica.
The state’s review criteria are:
1. Support for the arts, humanities, and/or interpretive sciences
2. Public benefit
3. No substitution
4. Non-discrimination
In addition to the above state criteria, Billerica Cultural Council’s review criteria are:
– Priority will be given to grant applications that benefit the residents of the Town of Billerica.
– Priority will be given to grant applications that have a definitive plan or timeline.
– The Billerica Cultural Council encourages collaboration with local partners or organizations.
– The Billerica Cultural Council encourages diversity and variety in program offerings. We encourage multi-generational, multi-cultural, and/or multi-modal projects.
Grant forms and guideline information can be found online at the Mass Cultural Council website.
Proposals are evaluated based on several considerations: benefit to the Billerica community (including projects that may benefit segments traditionally underserved by cultural activities), creativity and innovation, quality of the activity, evidence of planning, qualifications of the individual(s) who will lead the activity, track record of the sponsoring group, and clarity of proposal.
FY25 Local Guidelines
Large grant requests or multiple grants from the same organization may be partially funded.
Funding will be prioritized for artist fees directly related to the project, salaries or wages directly related to the project, space rental, marketing or promotional expenses directly related to the project, project supplies and materials, including performance or other production costs, and project-related curriculum materials.
How Grant Recipients Are Paid
Direct Grants
FY24 Funding List
| Name | Project Title | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Bates III, Davis R. | A Celtic Celebration: A Performance for Seniors | $500 | Billerica Community Farmers Market, Inc. | Billerica Community Farmers Market Entertainment | $2,250 | Billerica Public Library | Queen Elizabeth II - “Her Majesty” | $375 | Billerica Public Library | Teen Summer Reading Program | $2,895 | Billerica Public Library | Challenger: Soaring with Christa McAuliffe | $750 | Billerica Public Library | 2024 Children's Summer Reading Program | $1,200 | Billerica Public Library | Birds of Prey | $450 | Billerica Public Library | Science Heroes: Break the Ice | $450 | Boys and Girls Club of Greater Billerica, Inc. | Music Tech: Podcast Production & Distribution | $2,139 | Fitchburg Art Museum, Inc. | 88th Regional Exhibition of Art & Craft | $250 | Hart, Francis | The “Beat Generation” - A Cultural Review of the 1950s Through Music | $375 | Henderson, Steven I. | The Haverston Mills Town Meeting | $375 | Herman-Haase, Eileen | Dance Caliente Brings the World to your Feet | $800 | Jatkola, Matt | JATK Stop Motion Music Video | $2,000 | Kirouac, Daniel | Creeque Alley: Folk-Rock concert for the Council on Aging | $450 | Locke Middle School | Cultural Identity Murals | $980 | MUSIC Dance.edu | I am Autistic I am Fantastic - The Musical | $580 | Marshall Middle School | Choreoghraphy, spring musical | $1,500 | Newman, Howard | Music for Seniors | $375 | Parisi, Rita | I am Zelda: one act play about Mrs. F. Scott Fitzgerald | $575 | Parnes, Janet | Myths & Miracles of Victorian Medicine | $360 | Porcino, John P. | To Life!: Celebrations in Story, Song and Music | $450 | Rull, Thomas E. | "A Musical Journey Through the Years" December Holiday Show | $185 | Team 4909 Inc | New England Robotics Derby and Expo | $1,500 | The Delvena Theatre Company | Meet Julia Child! | $650 | The Delvena Theatre Company | The Incredible Mae West! | $300 | The Vision for Innovation Academy, Inc. | Celebrate and learn about our cultures. | $1,000 | Waterman, Jon | Live Music Making History Live | $300 | Zaino, Nick | 100 Years of Boston Comedy | $250 | the Wizard, Ed | Magic for Seniors | $250 | the Wizard, Ed | Alchemy Laboratory | $450 |
