Auburn Cultural Council
The Auburn Cultural Council is a group of dedicated volunteers with a desire to enrich the lives of Auburn residents through the Arts, Humanities, and Interpretive Sciences. The Council supports a wide variety of art forms, including the ongoing work of individual artists and the collaborative proposals that bring artists and organizations together.
The residents of Auburn participated in a survey and they showed a strong interest by residents towards community gatherings (festivals, concerts, plays) in accordance with COVID guidelines, environmental and educational projects, and cultural diversity.
Please read the State and the Auburn Cultural Council Guidelines and Priorities before applying. All applications meeting the Council’s criteria (see list below) will be considered.
Contact
Piyali Mazumdar
auburnculturalcouncil@gmail.com
508-832-7701
Address
Auburn Town Hall
104 Central Street
Auburn, MA 01501-2303
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Application Information
FY24 Allocation
$11,100
FY24 Local Priorities
The Auburn Cultural Council gives priority to grants submitted by Auburn residents, organizations, agencies, and schools that will benefit diverse groups of Auburn citizens through cultural, scientific and/or historical performances or education.
In addition to the state criteria, applications will be evaluated using the following criteria:
1. Grant funds must be used for arts, humanities or interactive sciences. The Council will prioritize the following activities for support, based on community input: community wide gatherings, nature/science/environmental education projects, field trips for students/youth to museums or performances.
2. Applicant has secured a venue and must have documentation from that venue.
3. Applicant has shown source of supplemental funding in the case of partial funding. If supplemental funding is not available, the Council will accept project scope adjustment
4. Applicant should demonstrate thorough planning of the project including but not limited to logistics and finance.
5. Grants are direct grants, dispersed at time of award.
6. Grant funds must follow current state public health guidelines, if applicable.
FY24 Local Guidelines
We support a broad variety of art forms, the ongoing work of individual artists, environmental education projects, collaborative proposals that bring together artists and other types of organizations, local cultural groups and projects that serve specific populations, such as youth, senior citizens, low income and disabled.
Who qualifies for funding?
Massachusetts-based individuals, artists, nonprofit community groups, cultural institutions and schools with cultural projects that have public benefit may apply. Auburn-based applicants are given preference.
Application Procedure: All applicants must submit completed applications online at https://massculturalcouncil.smartsimple.com/ by October 17, 2023 at 11:59PM EST. Address any questions to the Auburn Cultural Council at auburnculturalcouncil@gmail.com.
Applications are evaluated in terms of several criteria: artistic or creative merit; project design; qualifications, dedication, and past records of the individuals and organizations involved; physical accessibility & accommodating size of any facilities being used; and community benefit. It is mandatory that applicants have secured a venue for their presentation and provide a signed statement from the org./ facility validating site support. Successful applicants are required to inform the council of the date, time and location of the presentation of their project so members have the option of attending. The council will not fund activities that should be or have been part of municipal budgets (I.e., teacher salaries, classroom supplies, school sponsored clubs and organizations, library books/videos, etc.) Enrichment projects utilizing outside professionals are allowed. We do not fund transportation.
ACC funds the purchase of tickets for cultural field trips for children pre-K through 12. They may be from public, private, and parochial schools as well as those in any community youth groups. Activities, which include cultural, educational exhibits and museum visits, must take place outside of the school setting. The Auburn Cultural Council does not fund transportation.
Approximately two months after the October deadline, the Auburn Cultural Council will inform all applicants concerning the status of their application. The local council submits its funding decisions to the Massachusetts Cultural Council. Applicants should not publicize or implement any project until official approval has been received. Projects must be initiated during the grant period and completed within one year of funding.
What are the Publicity Requirements of the Cultural Council?
In all published materials and announcements regarding the activities supported by Auburn Cultural Council funds, the sponsoring group or individuals must acknowledge this support with a written and/or verbal credit statement. The credit statement is: “This program is supported in part by a grant from the Auburn Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural council, a state agency.”
The MCC logo may also be used and is available at the MCC’s web site, https://massculturalcouncil.org/communities/local-cultural-council-program/lcc-toolkit/guidelines-forms/.
Public funding for cultural programs must be appropriated by the Mass State Legislature each year. Therefore, reminding your community about the source of this funding is critical in maintaining support by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts through the State Legislature.
How Grant Recipients Are Paid
Direct Grants
FY23 Funding List
| Name | Project Title | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Auburn Middle School | The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical | $1,500 | Auburn Public Library | Visit from Kindergreten classes at Auburn Public School | $200 | Auburn Public Library | Summer 2023 Reading Program | $1,000 | Auburn Public Library | Hands on Nature Summer Camp series | $670 | Auburn Public Schools | Afro-Latino Dancing Performance | $3,000 | Blackstone Valley Art Association, Inc. | Free Community Art Celebration of Auburn 2023 | $350 | Clear Path for Veterans New England, Inc. | Arts from the Heart | $350 | Hart, Francis | A Cultural and Historical Reflection of the 1960s through the Music of The Beatles | $400 | Kane, Timothy D. | All Together Drumming | $1,050 | Miniscalco, Sheryl F. | First Lady of The World | $400 | Porcino, John P. | To Life! Celebrations in Story, Song, and Ausic | $450 | Rull, Thomas E. | "A Musical Journey Through the Years" | $400 | Silvia, Elizabeth | The Mike and Beth Show | $751 | Worcester Chamber Music Society, Inc. | Worcester Chamber Music Society: Free Family Concert | $500 |
