Fitchburg Cultural Council
The Fitchburg Cultural Council is committed to supporting diverse and inspiring programs for its residents. These programs in arts, culture, science and humanities provide cultural enrichment in the everyday lives of our community. We serve as a conduit for conveying artistic and culturally based activities through community programs and grant solicitation. The selection of recipients and awarding of funds for grant recipients is primarily made possible from resources from the Massachusetts Cultural Council as well as fundraising endeavors and other charitable donations
¡LLAME PARA NUEVOS MIEMBRO Buscando: Artistas • Estudiantes • Contadores • Multilingües ¡Y cualquier persona interesada en involucrarse con las artes y la cultura en nuestra comunidad! Asista a nuestras reuniones mensuales que están abiertas al público. Envíenos un correo electrónico hoy a [email protected] para obtener más información.
Join our fb group: Arts, Culture, & Things to Do in Fitchburg
The FCC meets on the 4th Monday from 5:00-6:00 pm at the Legislative Building at The Fitchburg City Hall. Meetings air Live, when available and replayed on FATV.
Contact
Eva Kelly, Chair
[email protected]
978-829-1800
https://massculturalcouncil.org/local-council/fitchburg/
Address
718 Main Street
Fitchburg, MA 01420-3125
Connect on Social
Facebook
Instagram
Application Information
FY27 Allocation
$60,200
FY27 Local Priorities
Priority will be given to applicants who live or work in Fitchburg and/or who offer programs and presentations that specifically benefit the Fitchburg community.
Our Priorities include, but are not limited to, programs that fall into one of these categories:
• Youth Programs
• Unifying gatherings for all interests, ages, and demographics
• Nature Science & Environmental Programs
• Celebrating local history, cultures & diversity
• Music
• Downtown revitalization efforts
• Art Education & Classes
• Food Festivals & Classes
• Public Art & Beautification
• Sensory-Friendly Programs
• Humanities (Yoga, Art Therapy, Wellness, etc.)
• Theater
FY27 Local Guidelines
All applications and supplemental materials must be submitted online. For special assistance, contact the Fitchburg Cultural Council via email: [email protected].
For additional questions, call Ricardo Barros (215) 269-1114 or Dan Dow (978) 833-0653.
Based on feedback collected through August 5, 2026, the Fitchburg Cultural Council will encourage all programming opportunities, with priority given to the following:
• Steps to promote their program to Fitchburg residents. For example: local newspapers, newsletters, mass mailings, banners, and flyers all around Fitchburg (Main St-Mill St, Library, City Hall, Community Centers, etc.) and online (social media, Evite, YouTube, community calendars, official website, etc.).
• Programs or projects that spread awareness of Fitchburg programs locally and beyond are also encouraged, including early marketing campaigns (> 2 weeks prior to the event), multilingual options, FATV and podcast advertising.
Requirements:
1) Out-of-town applicants: If you do not live or work in the City of Fitchburg, you are required to provide a letter of support from a Fitchburg partner. A commitment letter from the venue is required and meets this requirement.
2) Partners and Advisors: When you are listing local contributors/partners, please provide names and list their qualifications and in what way they will be assisting you.
3) Virtual Programming guidelines: Applicants for virtual programming applications must reside in North Central Massachusetts, or the program must have campaigns promoting specifically to the Fitchburg Community.
4) Program Location: All programs must be ADA accessible. Virtual programs that collaborate with Fitchburg Access Television and invest in bilingual (especially Spanish) and ASL translators will be prioritized over virtual programs that do not.
Notes on Funding:
Funding Limits: The Fitchburg Cultural Council may initiate a funding limit on grants to fund as many viable projects as possible. You are encouraged to request as much funding as you wish and demonstrate how you will scale back your program if it cannot be fully funded.
Funding: This will be a direct grant process.
Funding Sources: As always, we encourage Applicants to seek multiple funding sources. On your application, you MUST list all other sources of financial assistance and grants that you have applied for and/or received. If your project will NOT happen without funding from the Fitchburg Cultural Council, you MUST let us know. For links to other programs and grants offered by the Mass Cultural Council, please visit https://massculturalcouncil.org/about/programs-a-z.
Grant Trainings: Two trainings will be conducted. An online meeting sponsored by Mass Cultural Council will be held on Thursday, September 10, 2026, and one in-person training on Friday, September 18, 2026, 5-6 PM at the Fitchburg Legislative Building, 718 Main Street. The in-person training will be recorded and accessible on FATV. Any additional trainings or changes to these dates can be found at the City of Fitchburg’s Agenda Center, as well as on our social media sites.
Please add our email to your address book: [email protected], and let us know if you have any questions.
How Grant Recipients Are Paid
Direct Grants
FY27 Funding List
A grant list will be published here after January 15, 2027 and once the Local Cultural Council has finalized their decisions.