State Representative Bill Straus joins Mattapoisett Cultural Council in announcing the award of 20 grants totaling $11,250 for cultural programs in and around Mattapoisett.

Grant recipients include Friends of Old Rochester Drama, Mattapoisett Free Public Library, Mattapoisett Historical Society, Mattapoisett Land Trust, Mattapoisett Lions Club, and Mattapoisett Recreation.

Mattapoisett Cultural Council is part of a network of Local Cultural Councils serving all 351 cities and towns in the Commonwealth, the largest grassroots cultural funding network in the nation, supporting thousands of community-based projects in the arts, sciences and humanities every year.

In 2023, Mattapoisett Cultural Council has once again received town financial support to supplement the state allocation and is fortunate to have both state and town funding. Creative arts, cultural, and science program offerings in our local region are thriving. Funding needs and requests have increased – the council considered 30 grant applications totaling over $22,000 this year and was disappointed to have to decline or reduce support for several worthwhile projects. Mattapoisett residents are deserving of the rich cultural experiences that the applicants provide.

Decisions about which projects and activities to support are made at the community level by council members Patricia Apperson, Gary Brown, Carole Clifford, Janet Coquillette, Kathleen Damaskos, Michael Eaton, Joanna MacDonald Ingham, Barbara Poznysz, Kimberly Ray, Bette-Jean Rocha, James Rottler, Gale Schultz, Sarah Thomas, and Donna Wingate.

“This program depends on the efforts of local volunteers to distribute state funding to local artists and cultural organizations, and I commend the Council for their difficult work in selecting the grant recipients from what I am sure was a large pool of worthy applicants.” said Rep. Bill Straus (D-Mattapoisett).

This year's Mattapoisett Cultural Council grantees include:

Davis R. Bates
Rhonda M. Fazio
Friends of Old Rochester Drama
Greater New Bedford Choral Society
Marion Art Center
Mattapoisett Free Public Library
Mattapoisett Historical Society
Mattapoisett Land Trust Education Committee
Mattapoisett Lions Club
Mattapoisett Recreation
New Bedford Festival Theatre
New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center
New Bedford Museum and Art Center
New England Coastal Wildlife Alliance
Rotch-Jones-Duff House & Garden Museum
Seaglass Theater Company
Sippican Choral Society
South Coast Children’s Chorus
Tri-County Symphonic Band

The Mattapoisett Cultural Council will seek applications again in the fall. Information will be available online at https://massculturalcouncil.org/communities/local-cultural-council-program/application-process/.