Westford Cultural Council
The Westford Cultural Council (WCC) is a dedicated town committee composed of resident volunteers appointed by the Westford Select Board. As part of a network of 329 Local Cultural Councils serving all 351 cities and towns across Massachusetts, the WCC belongs to the largest grassroots cultural funding network in the United States. Each year, the state legislature provides an annual appropriation to the Mass Cultural Council (a state agency), which then allocates funds directly to our community council.
Our mission is to enhance Westford’s quality of life by funding diverse community programs in the arts, humanities, and sciences*. The WCC reviews proposals and distributes annual state grants to individuals, schools, and organizations. By funding public projects such as community festivals, art exhibits, concerts, school enrichment events, artist residencies, workshops, and lectures—we ensure vibrant, diverse cultural experiences remain accessible to everyone in town.
*Science programs refers to public activities such as environmental education, museum exhibits, astronomy events, & community science programs. School-based STEM instruction, curriculum activities, & competitive science or robotics teams are not included.
Application Information & Guidelines
In order to apply for a WCC grant, applicants must meet all eligibility criteria and requirements of the Local Cultural Council (LCC) Program. Please refer to the official resources below before starting your submission:
- Application Process
- Program Guidelines
- Application Process Video
All applications must be submitted online. No paper applications or physical documents will be accepted via postal mail.
Required & Recommended Materials
To ensure your online application is considered for funding, you must include the required supporting documents. Applications missing these materials may be disqualified:
- Specific Event Date(s): The exact date or date range of the event/project (Required).
- Venue Confirmation: Documentation confirming the venue has been secured for the specified date(s) (Required).
- Support/Sponsor Letter: A letter from a Westford resident, group, or community organization (Highly Recommended).
Application Consolidation Policy
To streamline the review process, the council requests that applicants consolidate related events into a single application. This applies to:
- The same event being held across multiple venues.
- Multiple similar events taking place at the same venue.
Please Note: Failure to consolidate these types of events into one single application may result in a denial of application.
WCC has utilized input from Westford residents gathered via a Community Input Survey conducted in May–June 2026 to inform its funding priorities for grant applications. Please see the Council Priorities section below to view the current list of funding priorities for the council.
Key Dates & Deadlines
- Applications Open: September 1, 2026
- Application Deadline: October 14, 2026
- Optional Presentation Meeting: Date TBD. This meeting offers applicants a chance to present their projects directly to council members. Email [email protected] for scheduling and meeting details.
Funding & Support Levels
- Partial Funding Only: The Council does not fully fund any individual program. To demonstrate that your project is viable, you must clearly specify other sources of financial support in the budget section of your application.
- Reimbursement Basis: Please note that all grants are awarded on a reimbursement basis only after the project is completed.
To apply to the Westford Cultural Council, please click HERE.
For a list of grants awarded last year, please see the section below.
Contact
Vidya Raman
[email protected]
781-439-8191
Address
Town Hall
55 Main Street
Westford, MA 01886-2597
Connect on Social
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Application Information
FY26 Allocation
$11,100
FY26 Local Priorities
-Communitywide gatherings like Festivals, Concerts, Plays, etc.
-Arts & Music Education in/outside schools
-Nature, Science & Environmental Education projects
-Projects/Events celebrating local cultural diversity
FY26 Local Guidelines
Please visit https://westfordma.gov/627/Cultural-Council for guidelines
How Grant Recipients Are Paid
Reimbursement Grants
FY26 Funding List
| Name | Project Title | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Abbot School PTO | The World of Owls / Adaptations | $400 | Acton Community Center, Inc. | Child's Play at Theatre III | $150 | Blanchard Middle School | Having Fun with Pyramids and Pharaohs | $400 | Blanchard Middle School | Traveling Science: The Physical Changes of Matter | $400 | Boston Yue Opera House, Inc. | Opera Meets Community | $300 | Chelmsford Community Band,Inc. | Jazz Lab | $300 | Chinese Family Network Inc (CFN) | Bridging Generations Through Timeless Melodies | $150 | Discovery Museum, Inc. | Open Door Connections | $400 | Dracut Performing Art Series, Inc. | Dracut Arts 2026 Season | $150 | Facepaint Inc. | Book donation for Westford Little Free Libraries | $200 | First Church Unitarian in Littleton | Stronger Together: Art for Democracy (Art Contest) | $300 | First Parish Church United of Westford Mass | 50th Annual Westford Strawberries 'N Arts Festival | $400 | Freedom Dance 4-H | Freedom Dance 4-H Winter and Spring Community Performances | $300 | Friends of Indian Senior Citizens Organization Inc., | Spring Festival with South Asian Seniors | $400 | MUSIC Dance.edu | Hip Hop Chair Dance for Seniors! | $280 | MUSIC Dance.edu | I am Autistic I am Fantastic - The Musical | $400 | Massachusetts Educational Theater Guild, Inc. | The Massachusetts High School Drama Festival | $400 | Middlesex County 4-H Fair, Inc. | Musical Performance at 2026 4-H Fair | $400 | Nashoba Players | Connected the Musical | $400 | Open Door Theatre of Acton, Inc. | Honk! | $300 | Parnes, Janet | Myths & Miracles of Victorian Medicine | $400 | Ruggiero, Marianne | A Musical Journey to the Andes | $300 | S.T.A.G.E. Crew, Incorporated | Student Black Box Productions | $400 | Stony Brook School PTO | Jack Gantos: Short Story Session | $400 | Stony Brook School PTO | Mythmasters: Tales from Greek Mythology | $400 | The Delvena Theatre Company, Inc. | Another Order of Mangia, Meatballs and Murder! | $400 | The Parish Center for the Arts, Inc. | Literature Live Series | $370 | Westford Chamber Players, Inc. | “Romantic Quintet” live concert by WCP professional musicians | $400 | Westford Chamber Players, Inc. | Mother’s Day Diversity Concert | $400 | Westford Chorus, Inc. | Spring Concert - More Chorus Favorites, with piano, bass, and drums | $400 | Westford Community Access Television, Inc. | Production Van Training at Nashoba Tech | $400 | Wise, Dennis | The Theft of Dignity: School Anti-bullying Presentation | $400 |