Montague Cultural Council
The Montague Cultural Council aims to increase the cultural vitality of our town by supporting activities that enrich the lives of residents of its five villages: Turners Falls, Millers Falls, Montague Center, Montague City, and Lake Pleasant.
Our Council is participating in the new system which no longer requires the reimbursement process. Instead, grant money is available in full once projects are approved and proper paperwork is submitted by grantees. If you are awarded a grant, you will be required to submit a final report to the Local Cultural Council upon completion of your program. Please read the LCC Program Guidelines and our Council Priorities before you apply.
Contact
Kathy Lynch
culturalcouncil@montague-ma.gov
413-863-3200
Address
Town Hall
1 Avenue A
Montague, MA 01376-1168
Application Information
FY24 Allocation
$8,300
FY24 Local Priorities
Montague Cultural Council Priorities 2024
The Montague Cultural Council wishes to encourage proposals from a broad range of applicants and to fund programs that allow Montague residents in all five villages to experience a diverse array of cultural events.
We weigh many factors when making decisions about which proposals to fund. This year we will look most favorably on:
Projects which focus on Cultural Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion: Projects that elevate the voices and experiences of historically-marginalized groups to highlight the current and historical diversity of Montague. Projects should create opportunities for artists and community members who identify as Black, Indigenous, POC, LGBTQX, Latinx, refugee, immigrant, or person living with a disability.
Projects based on Montague hIstory or science projects
Montague based creative projects
Projects which demonstrate community support and planning will be prioritized.
In your application, you should:
Tell us how your program will have significant public benefit for Montague residents.
Describe specific efforts you will make to ensure that your program is accessible and inclusive.
Explain how the work will be shared with the general public.
Tell us how your program will increase opportunities for underserved audiences
In your application, you must::
Demonstrate that you have thoroughly considered the logistics of implementing your project.
Provide as much specific information as possible about venue, costs, collaborators, and scheduling.
Please Include letters of support from venues and collaborators if you can. The online application system will allow you to upload supplemental materials. If you are unable to upload, you can email or mail documents to the address below.
(Email is preferred whenever possible.)
Email: culturalcouncil@montague-ma.gov
Montague Cultural Council
Montague Town Hall
1 Avenue A
Turners Falls, MA 01376-1128
FY24 Local Guidelines
Montague Cultural Council Guidelines 2024
Applicants can be: arts, humanities, or interpretive science organizations; individuals, including artists, science educators, historians or other humanists, parents, or community members; or community organizations including, but not limited to, schools, social service organizations, civic groups, neighborhood centers, or youth, senior and family associations.
Please read the section on eligibility in the Mass Cultural Council LCC Program Guidelines PDF at https://massculturalcouncil.org/communities/local-cultural-council-program/lcc-toolkit/guidelines-forms/
Evaluation of applications:
Grant applications are evaluated based on several review criteria: artistic or creative merit; project design; qualifications and track record of the individuals and organizations involved; physical accessibility of any facilities being used; and Montague community benefit and involvement. Montague-based applicants and programs are given preference over those based in other towns.
Projects may include the participation of outside professionals. The Council seeks to support new, innovative projects rather than recurring requests. The Council has determined that its allocation of funds is most effective when larger percentages of its limited resources are provided to fewer projects that represent the potential capacity to reach a broad cross-section of the Montague community.
Proposals from schools and libraries cannot include requests for support of expenses that should be or have been part of the municipal budget (i.e. teacher salaries, classroom supplies, school-sponsored clubs and organizations, library books/videos).
Timeline for applications
New grant cycle begins September 1, 2023
Application deadline: October 17, 2023
Notification of disapproved applications: November – December, 2023
Final notification of approved applications: on or before January 17, 2024
Grantees must claim award or request an extension by Dec 31, 2024
Final reports due: by January 17, 2025
Application process
All applications must be submitted through the LCC grants page on the Massachusetts Cultural
Council website: https://massculturalcouncil.smartsimple.com/
How Grant Recipients Are Paid
Direct Grants
FY23 Funding List
| Name | Project Title | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Antenna Cloud Farm | Antenna Cloud Farm 2023 Season | $700 | Ferguson, Carrie | Carrie Ferguson concert for families | $200 | Finders Collective | Finders Collective - Community Programming | $200 | Lynch, Kathleen | Suds & Song | $450 | Means, Pamela | Pamela Means presents The Power of The Protest Song: Our Shared History and Present Day | $500 | Montague Catholic Social Ministries, Inc. | Migrations Festival | $500 | Musica Franklin, Inc. | Community Concert Series | $800 | Peters, Kamil | Black Spaces | $700 | Pioneer Valley Symphony, Inc. | “The Mystery of the Missing Music” - 2023 Education Concert | $200 | Piti Theatre Company | Inclusion Improv | $400 | Richardson, Richie | FPFW 2023 Upcycle Fashion Show | $600 | The Nolumbeka Project, Inc. | Full Snow Moon Eastern Woodlands Gathering and Social Dance | $250 | The Nolumbeka Project, Inc. | 10th Annual Pocumtuck Homelands Festival | $500 | The Performance Project, Inc. | "Mother Tongue" by First Generation | $500 | Valley Art Salon | Valley ArtSalon at The Shea | $100 | Young Shakespeare Players East | Youth Shakespeare: Engaging Hearts and Minds | $600 |
