Weston Cultural Council
The Weston Cultural Council is charged with distributing money allotted to the Town of Weston through the Massachusetts Cultural Council’s Local Cultural Council (LCC) Program. Volunteer council members appointed by the Weston Select Board evaluate and oversee grants to individuals and organizations for projects and programs accessible to broad spectrum of town residents that promote excellence, education, diversity and inclusion in three areas:
Arts — including the performing arts (e.g. music, theater, film), visual arts (painting, drawing, sculpture, photography), crafts, folk, design, and interdisciplinary arts.
Humanities — including history, social studies, philosophy, criticism, and literature.
Interpretive Sciences — including lectures and activities to engage people in nature, science, and technology in ways that connect to their lives.
The WCC periodically collects data from the residents of the Town of Weston to inform its funding priorities. In the past, grants have supported an enormous range of activities in the creative/cultural sector, including community-wide festivals, concerts, and plays; exhibitions and projects by local artists; nature, science, and environmental education programs and participatory activities; video productions; after-school youth programs; hands-on workshops in writing and the visual arts; local history and cultural diversity projects; and lectures and book discussions in the humanities.
Grant applicants are encouraged to work with local institutions such as the Weston Public Library, the Weston Arts and Innovation Center, and the Council on Aging to secure a venue in advance for their program. Programming can be in-person, online, hybrid, or hands-on where appropriate, and venues must be handicap-accessible.
Contact
Christine Martin
wcc02493@gmail.com
781-786-5000
Address
11 Town House Road
Weston, MA 02493-2000
Connect on Social
Facebook
Application Information
FY25 Allocation
$5,700
FY25 Local Priorities
The Weston Cultural Council is charged with distributing money allotted to the Town of Weston through the Massachusetts Cultural Council’s Local Cultural Council (LCC) Program. Volunteer council members appointed by the Weston Select Board evaluate and oversee grants to individuals and organizations for projects and programs accessible to a broad spectrum of town residents that promote excellence, education, diversity and inclusion in three areas:
Arts — including the performing arts (e.g. music, theater, film), visual arts (painting, drawing, sculpture, photography), crafts, folk, design, and interdisciplinary arts.
Humanities — including history, social studies, philosophy, criticism, and literature.
Interpretive Sciences — including lectures and activities to engage people in nature, science, and technology in ways that connect to their lives.
The WCC periodically collects data from the residents of the Town of Weston to inform its funding priorities. In the past, grants have supported an enormous range of activities in the creative/cultural sector, including community-wide festivals, concerts, and plays; exhibitions and projects by local artists; nature, science, and environmental education programs and participatory activities; video productions; after-school youth programs; hands-on workshops in writing and the visual arts; local history and cultural diversity projects; and lectures and book discussions in the humanities.
Grant applicants are encouraged to work with local institutions such as the Weston Public Library, the Weston Arts and Innovation Center, and the Weston Council on Aging to secure a venue in advance for their program. Programming can be in-person, hands-on, online, or hybrid where appropriate, and venues must be handicap-accessible.
FY25 Local Guidelines
1. Preference is given to projects and programs that have not taken place in their entirety before the grants have been approved, so that the community can be informed and invited to participate.
2. Programming can be in-person, hands-on, online, or hybrid if the population being served benefits from this delivery method.
3. Grant applications should include a confirmed local venue. Applicants are encouraged to work with Weston institutions such as the Weston Public Library, the Arts and Innovation Center, and the Council on Aging to secure a venue in advance for their program. A letter from the hosting venue is required to accompany the application.
4. A well-planned budget and proposal is required to accompany the application, including how the grant money will be allocated within the budget.
5. Funding should not be viewed as the sole means of support for projects of a continuing nature, although reapplications for continuing projects are occasionally approved. We encourage groups to not rely on WCC funding on a yearly basis and to develop other sources of funding.
6. Due to the limited amount of funds available, grants awarded are usually $1000 or less, and partial funding may be offered.
7. Grant recipients are required to publicize their program to Weston residents and to acknowledge the Weston Cultural Council in all promotional material. A final report, including publicity materials, is required once the project is completed.
For a complete list of the state requirements visit www.mass-culture.org/lcc_public_applicant_guidelines.aspx.
How Grant Recipients Are Paid
Direct Grants
FY25 Funding List
| Name | Project Title | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Arts Wayland Foundation, Inc. | Sondheim Unveiled: A Musical Journey | $450 | Bay Colony Brass, Inc. | Veterans Day Concert with MetroWest youth | $200 | Boston Comic Arts Foundation, Limited | Calmer Con Boston | $1,000 | Cardinal Spellman Philatelic Museum, Inc. | Stamps Come Alive 2025 Programming | $500 | Chen, Hudson | Inspiring Vitality: The Timeless Beauty of the Silk Road Art | $1,000 | Discovery Museum, Inc. | Open Door Connections | $200 | Golden Ball Tavern Trust | Mightier Than The Sword | $1,000 | Land's Sake, Inc. | Growing Access to the Farm: Open Farmyard | $1,000 | Lucas, Colleen | Winter Solstice Lantern Making and Parade | $400 | MUSIC Dance.edu | Hip Hop Chair Dance for Seniors! | $280 | Ngwenya, Titi | Brave Space Book Club | $500 | The Rivers School Conservatory | Free Concerts at The Rivers School Conservatory | $750 | The Weston Friendly Society of the Performing Arts, Inc. | Enhancing Community Engagement and Cultural Vitality Through Public Display Banners | $500 | WeStar Corp. | Boston International Asian Music Festival 2025(Weston) | $500 | Weston Drama Workshop, Inc. | Fun Home - Weston Drama Workshop | $1,000 | Weston Historical Society, Inc. | One Town in the American Revolution | $500 | Weston Public Library | Programming to Use Digital Fabrication Equipment | $850 | Wise, Dennis | The Theft of Dignity: Weston Presentation | $570 |
