Medford Arts Council
Established in 1980, the Medford Arts Council works to bring high-quality cultural programming to the community, increase public access to Medford’s many cultural assets, and promote favorable conditions for our creative economy.
On an annual cycle we offer grants to artists, writers, performers, instructors, and cultural organizations seeking to engage the Medford public. We also help sponsor new public arts and humanities initiatives in Medford.
The funds we distribute are an annual allocation from the Massachusetts Cultural Council through their Local Cultural Council program. The Council also receives funding from the City of Medford.
The Council funds public events like the Arts Across Medford festival, Circle the Square, and West Medford Open Studios, as well as dozens of concerts, classes, field trips, performances, and other activities in disciplines including dance, theater, music, science, history, literature, craft and design, and the visual arts.
Contact
medfordartscouncil@gmail.com
781-393-2454
www.medfordartscouncil.org/
Address
85 George P. Hassett Drive
Medford, MA 02155-3299
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Application Information
FY26 Allocation
$36,200
FY26 Local Priorities
In accordance with our requirement as a Local Cultural Council receiving more than $20,000 from the Massachusetts Cultural Council, we have identified local priorities to guide our decision-making process for awarding grants.
Medford’s local priorities were developed using community input (through a public survey online and in-person) and strategic discussions at our recent public meetings. We will still accept, review, and approve a wide range of proposals including those that may be unrelated to our local priorities. However, we will use the local priorities to encourage, identify, and fund preferred proposals that are particularly suited to Medford’s needs at this time. Proposals are not expected to meet every priority listed, applicants should be clear and intentional about how their projects or programs align.
1. Clarity & Feasibility: Proposals that are feasible within the proposed time period, have a sound financial plan and have thoughtful marketing/outreach plans.
2. Community Impact: Proposals with an intentionally broad reach based on the number of people served.
3. Significance for Audience: Proposals that may have a smaller intended audience, but can demonstrate a depth of impact on that target audience.
4. Cultural Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion: Proposals that elevate the voices and experiences of historically marginalized groups to highlight the current and historical diversity of Medford as well as proposals that are age-inclusive or multi-generational.
5. Activating Public Spaces: Proposals that include temporary or permanent art — performing or visual, 2D or 3D, outdoor or indoor, physical or virtual — to be exhibited in public, open spaces in Medford, such as a park, municipal building, or neighborhood square.
6. Economic Impact For Medford Businesses: Proposals that draw visitors, boosting local businesses.
7. Proposals involving partnerships or collaborations among individuals, organizations, or businesses. We are especially interested in deeply collaborative processes that fully involve the talents, skills, and resources of multiple contributors and include different perspectives within the community.
8. Standard of Excellence: Proposals that demonstrate quality in the written application and supporting materials.
9. New Grantees: Proposals from first-time applicants encouraged!
10. 2025-2026 Community Highlighted Priority – Arts Continuing Education & Creative Skill Building: Based on community feedback, we are especially welcoming proposals that provide hands-on community art classes and artistic skill building.
FY26 Local Guidelines
The following are proposal conditions that are required and/or recommended for funding consideration:
Medford-Serving: Proposals must demonstrate value to the Medford community. Non-residents may apply if serving the Medford public with events in Medford.
Funding Amounts and Use: Grants awards typically vary from $250 – $5,000. Larger requests are occasionally considered, however, any request over $2,500 should show strong prospects for additional funding sources. Grant funds cannot directly support fundraising activities.
Proof of Local Planning: You must show that you have made specific plans to hold your event or activity in Medford and/or are seeking necessary approvals. This means including a specific letter of support from the organization that controls the local venue or demonstrating that you are taking necessary steps to receive a permit. For example, if you plan to hold your event at the Medford Public Library, you must include a letter of support from the Medford Public Library saying that they want to host your event. We do not fund applications which show no sign of specific local planning. Please upload your letters using the online application system.
Complete Applications Only: Only fully complete applications, including budget and necessary supplemental materials, will be considered.
Nondiscrimination: Per Council and State requirements, proposals must not bias race, gender, creed, color, origin, disability, sexual orientation, or age.
Accessibility: Per Council and State requirements, all funded proposals must be accessible to persons with disabilities—both in location and content.
Applicants are encouraged to visit www.medfordartscouncil.org for more information and council updates.
How Grant Recipients Are Paid
Direct Grants
FY25 Funding List
| Name | Project Title | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Alive Dance Collective, LLC | Storybook Movement Workshop Series with Alive Dance Collective at Arts Collaborative Medford | $1,500 | Arts Collaborative Medford Inc. | Placemaking: public sculpture park and garden on Mystic Avenue, Medford | $2,000 | Bodies Moving | The Click’s “Let’s Move! Summer Dance Series” | $2,000 | Boston Comic Arts Foundation, Limited | Sensory Comics Author Event | $650 | Brereton, Laura | Brooks Elementary School 3rd Grade Songwriting Project | $1,500 | CACHE in Medford, Inc. | Circle the Square | $2,500 | CACHE in Medford, Inc. | Mystic River Celebration | $3,500 | Castagna, Robert W. | Poetry in Pictures | $1,500 | Champions Dance Sports Club Inc | Introduce Seniors to European Ballroom Dance through Movement, Music, and Rhythm | $1,200 | Charlotte and William Bloomberg Medford Public Library | Level Up with the Whalemobile | $500 | Charlotte and William Bloomberg Medford Public Library | Family Paint Night | $265 | Charlotte and William Bloomberg Medford Public Library | Fairy Tale Ball | $1,000 | Charlotte and William Bloomberg Medford Public Library | Digital Music Workshop for Teens | $1,500 | Charlotte and William Bloomberg Medford Public Library | Spanish Fun Time | $1,000 | Charlotte and William Bloomberg Medford Public Library | Crafting with Local Farm | $1,300 | Charlotte and William Bloomberg Medford Public Library | Dance Caliente | $1,200 | Charlotte and William Bloomberg Medford Public Library | Maker Fair | $2,500 | Charlotte and William Bloomberg Medford Public Library | Teen Drag Makeup Workshop | $900 | Coss, Ian | The Listening Box | $3,000 | Godin, Katherine | Moments in Medford Outdoor Exhibit | $2,000 | Greater Boston Stage Company | Expanding Medford Student Access to Live Performance Through Discounted Tickets | $1,200 | Hart, Francis | The “Beat Generation” - A Cultural Review of the 1950s Through Music | $450 | John J. McGlynn Middle School | McGlynn Middle School Mural | $2,000 | Juventas Music, Inc. | Juventas New Music Ensemble - Free Neighborhood Concert Series in Medford | $1,500 | Kalliope Reed Quintet | "The Last Drop of Water" Mystic River Watershed Association Benefit Concert | $2,000 | Klein, Ellery | Traditional Music Series at Arts Collaborative Medford | $600 | Liendo, Karina | Bilingual Fun Storytelling Program: Latin American Series | $1,925 | Looking Back at Medford History Inc. | 5th Annual Sarah Bradlee Fulton Day | $2,150 | MUSIC Dance.edu | Hip Hop Chair Dance for Seniors!- a dance series | $500 | Medford Band Parent Organization | Reviving Winter Percussion in Medford Public Schools | $1,500 | Medford Community Chorale, Inc. | “All You Need Is Love” | $2,000 | Medford Jazz Festival, Inc. | Medford Jazz Festival | $2,000 | Medford Porchfest | Medford Porchfest | $3,500 | Medford Public Schools | Summer Arks Workshops Grades 1-12 | $1,500 | Medford Recreation Department | Condon Shell Summer Concert Series | $2,775 | Medford for Palestine | Palestinian Film Series | $1,000 | Missituk Elementary School Parent Teacher Organization, Inc. | Wongai! Rhythms of West Africa, Brazil and the Caribbean | $1,300 | Morris, Dee | Medford Loves to Dance! | $500 | Mulberry Forest School | Arts by the River | $2,500 | Mystic River Watershed Association, Inc. | Mystic River Watershed Map Mural Refresh | $1,500 | Nelson, Elizabeth | Belly Dance Show and Mini Lesson for Seniors! | $395 | Rantisi, Tareq | 2025 World Music Concert Series | $2,000 | Roberts Elementary School Parent Teacher Organization, Inc. | Roberts Arts Ramble | $1,500 | Ruiz Sanchez, Leonardo | Portraits of Medford: Stories Through The Visual | $3,000 | Strauss, Marina | Drumming Circles for Seniors | $1,200 | The Beautiful Stuff Project, Inc. | Mini-Mini golf STEAM project at Roberts Elementary | $1,250 | The Boston New Music Initiative, Inc. | BNMI’s 15th Anniversary Guerilla Concerts | $200 | The Congregational Church of West Medford | Art & Soul Circles | $2,500 | The Delvena Theatre Company | Music Through The Years | $495 | The Delvena Theatre Company | Bon Appetit Julia! | $695 | The Opening Doors Project, Inc. | The Opening Doors Project presents Stephanie McKay at Arts Collaborative Medford | $2,500 | Torgerson, Mark | Kadanz Jazz | $1,350 | True Story, Inc. | Living in Medford: Past and Present | $1,500 | West Medford Community Center, Inc. | Fresh Fridays Words and Music | $2,500 |
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