Mattapoisett Cultural Council chooses groups, individuals for grants

MATTAPOISETT — The Mattapoisett Cultural Council has awarded 21 grants, totaling $10,000, for cultural programs in and around Mattapoisett,  the local council’s largest amount ever.

Grant recipients include the Mattapoisett Free Public Library, Friends of Old Rochester Drama, and Mattapoisett Recreation, among others. 

The Mattapoisett Cultural Council is part of a network of 329 Local Cultural Councils serving all 351 cities and towns in the Commonwealth. The state legislature provided a $4 million appropriation to the Massachusetts Cultural Council this year, which then allocated funds to each community.

Decisions about which activities to support are made at the community level by Gary Brown, Carole Clifford, Kathleen Damaskos, Carol Dildine, Michael Eaton, Annemarie Fredericks, Gale Schultz, Sarah Thomas and Donna Wingate.

“The Local Cultural Council Program is the most extensive funding system of its kind in the nation. The councils support community-based projects that explore local arts and history, expand education and accessibility and celebrate diversity. These grant monies make possible for children and adults to empower themselves to learn about local arts, history, theatre and much more,” said Representative William Straus.

“State and town cultural funding enables the local council to meet the particular needs and priorities of the Mattapoisett community.  Congratulations to the artist and organization grantees who best demonstrated the value of their activities and programs in the arts, humanities, and science,” said Selectman Jordan Collyer.

This year’s Mattapoisett Cultural Council grantees include:

The Buzzards Bay Coalition Outdoor Explorations, Cape Cod Community Media Center, Friends of Old Rochester Drama, Irish Traditional Music Sessions, the Mattapoisett Free Public Library, the Mattapoisett Land Trust Education Committee, The Mattapoisett Museum, The Mattapoisett Parent Teacher Association, Mattapoisett Recreation Seahorse Explorers, the New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center, the New Bedford Symphony Orchestra, Old Rochester Regional Junior High School Trout in the Classroom, the Old Rochester Regional High School Empty Bowls Project, the Seaglass Theatre Company, Shakespeare in New Bedford, the Sippican Choral Society, the South Coast Children’s Chorus, the South Coast Diamondback Terrapin Project, the Tri-County Symphonic Band, Kirk Whipple and  Marilyn Morales

The Mattapoisett Cultural Council will seek applications again in the fall. Information and forms will be available online at www.masscultural council.org. Applications will be due in mid-October.