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
FY26 Allocation
TBD
FY26 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.
FY26 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
FY25 Funding List
| Name | Project Title | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Asian American Pacific Islanders for Equality and Change (AAPIEC) Incorporated | AAPI Heritage Festival and Exhibit | $4,008 | Bay Colony Brass, Inc. | Veterans Day Concert with MetroWest youth | $250 | Bettagere Nagendra Prasad, Pranav Swaroop | Project SARANG - Colors of South Asian Music | $1,000 | Billerica Public Library | 2025 Children's Summer Reading Program | $1,300 | Billerica Public Library | Science Heroes: Color Our World | $450 | Billerica Public Library | Teen Summer Reading Program | $3,000 | Billerica Public Library | Level up with The Whalemobile | $595 | Boys and Girls Club of Greater Billerica, Inc. | Viewfinders | $2,427 | Carlisle Community Chorus | Carlisle Community Chorus Concerts | $250 | Clear Path for Veterans New England, Inc. | Salute to Creativity: Arts from the Heart for Our Heroes | $800 | Contemporary Arts International, Inc. | 2025 Stone Carving Symposium | $600 | Discovery Museum, Inc. | Open Door Connections | $400 | Dracut Performing Arts Series, Inc. | Dracut Arts 2025 | $1,000 | Driscoll, Kevin H. | Paul Revere and Friends | $450 | Fitchburg Art Museum, Inc. | 89th Regional Exhibition of Art & Craft | $300 | Jackson, Peter | Community Magic Show - Corrected Application | $300 | Jatkola, Matt | JATK Stop Motion Music Video | $2,000 | MUSIC Dance.edu | I am Autistic I am Fantastic - The Musical | $580 | MUSIC Dance.edu | Hip Hop Chair Dance for Seniors! | $500 | Marshall Middle School | SPRING/FALL 24 MIDDLE SCHOOL MUSICALS | $3,500 | Shawsheen Valley Regional Vocational Technical | The Little Mermaid JR. Production | $1,000 | Silvia, Elizabeth | Catnip Junkies Live at the Library! | $2,500 | Team 4909 Inc | New England Robotics Derby and Expo | $3,000 | The Delvena Theatre Company | Bon Voyage, Forever! | $795 | The Public Health Museum in Massachusetts, Inc. | Billerica Smallpox Cemetery Walk | $250 | Waterman, Jon | Live Music Making History Live | $300 | Wise, Dennis | The Theft of Dignity: Billerica Presentation | $680 | York, Matt | Willie Nelson - Songs & Stories w/ Matt York | $500 |
