Worcester Arts Council
The mission of the Worcester Arts Council (WAC) is to promote excellence, access, education and diversity in the arts, humanities and interpretive sciences to improve the quality of life for Worcester residents and contribute to the economic vitality of our city.
WAC accepts grant applications on an annual basis between September 1st and October 15th. Applicants are notified of the Council’s funding decisions in January of the following year. Grants are awarded to support arts, humanities and interpretive sciences, visual artists, performing artists, science educators, historians and other humanists, as well as community, civic groups, social service organizations, schools, neighborhood centers, and youth, senior and family associations.
Contact
Fabian Barracks
[email protected]
508-799-1400
http://www.worcesterma.gov/cultural-development/worcester-arts-council
Address
455 Main Street Room 409
Worcester, MA 01608-1800
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Application Information
FY26 Allocation
$236,500
FY26 Local Priorities
Grant guidelines for WAC’s FY26 grant season can be found on the City of Worcester website by visiting https://www.worcesterma.gov/cultural-development/grants
FY26 Local Guidelines
While all projects in the arts, humanities, and sciences will be considered, based on community input gathered in 2025, WAC will give preference to grant applications that align with the following Funding Priorities for FY26:
Project Categories | Projects that focus on Arts Education & Instruction, Public Art, Musical Performances, and programs for all age groups from children to seniors.
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Access (DEIA) | Projects that elevate the voices and experiences of historically marginalized groups to highlight the current and historical diversity of Worcester. Projects should create opportunities for artists and community members through a DEIA lens.
Locations | Projects that take place in or benefit areas of Worcester that are historically underserved.
How Grant Recipients Are Paid
Direct Grants
FY26 Funding List
| Name | Project Title | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 508 C.H.E.E.R.S. Inc. | 508 C.H.E.E.R.S. Youth Cultural Cooking Program: Preserving Heritage Through Food and Art | $5,000 | Adaptive Recovery Teaching Incorporated | Community Wellness Theater | $5,000 | African Community Education Program, Inc | Drumming and Dancing Lessons at African Community Education Program | $5,000 | Art in the Park, Worcester | Art in the Park, Worcester | $5,000 | ArtsWorcester, Inc. | Future Arts Workers of Worcester | $5,000 | Asbridge, Bayda | Sculpting our Stories | $5,000 | Black Artist Collective of New England | Black History Month Art Exhibit | $5,000 | Browne, Yona | WAC Fellowship | $5,000 | Buschini, Julie | Turn the Page Together | $5,000 | Carney, Christon | Musical Inspirations: The Voices We Carry | $3,000 | Crocodile River Music, Inc. | African Music Series 2026 | $5,000 | Downtown Worcester Business Improvement District, Inc. | Out to Lunch Festival & Farmers Market | $5,000 | Dunbar, Joel | Print Your Vision: Free Direct‑to‑Film T‑Shirt Workshops | $5,000 | Edward Street Child Services, INC. | “Paper or Plastic? - from Recyclables to Remarkable” | $5,000 | Erskine, Nikki | Making Art Worc: Crash Courses on the Business Side of Creativity | $5,000 | First Unitarian Church | A Little Knit Music: Spring Concert Series at First Unitarian | $2,000 | Guardians of Traditions, Inc. | Weaving Worcester's Cultures Through Kites | $5,000 | Igwenagu, Obiamaka | WAC Fellowship | $5,000 | Koza, Michelle | Gathering Ground | $4,780 | Love Your Labels, Inc. | Threads Youth Fashion & Identity Program | $5,000 | MacInnis, Anna | Worcester Draglesque Fest (WDF) | $5,000 | Massachusetts Organization of African Descendants, Inc | Worcester African Festival | $5,000 | Massachusetts Symphony Orchestra, Inc. | Massachusetts Symphony Fireworks Concert At Institute Park Celebrating 75 Years of Admission-Free Performances & America's 250th Birthday | $5,000 | Music Worcester, Inc. | FREDERICK: a new choral composition on the life of Frederick Douglass | $5,000 | Nishkam Media Incorporated | The Worcester Youth Filmmaking Workshop | $5,000 | Open Door Arts, Inc. | Open Door Gallery at the Worcester Art Museum | $5,000 | OpporTUNEity Community Connections Inc. | OpporTUNEity Youth Programs | $5,000 | Pakachoag Music School of Greater Worcester, Inc. | Music Matters – Supporting Music Instruction in Worcester | $5,000 | Pasley, Becca | Bicycle Noise Creation Machine | $1,019 | Refugees & Immigrants Cultural Empowerment Massachusetts Inc | RICEMA Cultural Program and Worcester Night Market | $5,000 | Rodrigues, Cesar | WAC Fellowship | $5,000 | Seven Hills Symphony Inc. | Community Concerts - Seven Hills Symphony | $5,000 | Swalec, Joshua | 3rd Annual Bladesmiths of the Blackstone Valley: Selected Works | $2,800 | Tahomey LLC | Wellness Through Dance – 36-Class Series | $5,000 | The Boys and Girls Club of Worcester, Inc. | Play It Forward: Visiting Community Artists Music Program | $4,500 | The Joy of Music Program, Inc. | JOMP Culture Connects | $5,000 | The Studio 997 LLC | Creative Movers Program | $5,000 | The Worcester Center for Crafts, Inc. | Hot Night in the City 2026 | $5,000 | Thibault, Lynn Aurelie | "This... Is Worcester" | $5,000 | Tumbao Latin Dance LLC | Get up & Dance | $5,000 | Turner, Nicole Jean | WAC Fellowship | $5,000 | WICN Public Radio Inc. | Emerging Artist Series Plus | $5,000 | Wagner, Kristin | MILK | $2,500 | Wakabayashi, Mihoko | Seed to Fashion | $3,800 | Wasser, Matthew | Virtual Lighting Gallery Show | $5,000 | Wavvz | WAVVZ of Stitching : A Sewing and Fashion Showcase for Emerging Creatives | $5,000 | Wilson, Robert | Hard Times Come Again No More | $900 | Worcester Art Museum | Free Day: Arms and Armor Celebration | $5,000 | Worcester Chamber Music Society, Inc. | Worcester Chamber Music Society Free Family Concert: Fairy Tales and Fables | $5,000 | Worcester Children's Chorus, Inc. | One Voice! Youth Choral Festival | $5,000 | Worcester County Mechanics Association | Mechanics Hall Free Community Concerts | $5,000 | Worcester Refugee Assistance Project, Inc. | Books, Beats and Brushes | $5,000 | Worcester Writers' Collective | Worcester Writers' Collective Weekly Writing Workshops | $5,000 | YWCA Central Massachusetts, Inc. | Worcester Wall of Women | $5,000 |