~ Submitted by the Bedford Cultural Council
The Bedford Cultural Council has set an October 15, 2021 deadline for organizations, schools, and individuals to apply for grants that support cultural activities in the community. In these challenging times, artistic and cultural projects and activities are needed more than ever and there are grants available to support them
Bedford Cultural Council grants can support a variety of artistic projects and activities in and around Bedford — including festivals and performances; lectures and workshops; arts education and enrichment programs for children and adults; nature, science, and environmental education projects; and projects celebrating local history and cultural diversity.
In addition to funding received through Mass Cultural Council appropriations, the Cultural Council is supported in part by funding allocated by the Select Board. Select Board liaison Emily Mitchell notes that “the Select Board is grateful to the Bedford Cultural Council for its support and encouragement of the arts, culture, and education in our community. We encourage individuals and community groups to apply for Cultural Council grants for FY22 to bring innovative and inspiring programs to the Town.”
“We have so many talented folks living in town and the Bedford Cultural Council is here to support them. I encourage everyone involved in the arts and humanities to apply and take advantage of this incredible resource,” said Bedford’s State Representative Ken Gordon, a former Bedford Cultural Council Chair
“The Council works hard to encourage people in the community to apply for grants, then is put to the task of applying limited resources to fund worthwhile projects,” said Bedford’s State Senator Mike Barrett. “These grants ensure that Bedford’s wealth of cultural groups will continue to thrive.”
The Bedford Cultural Council is part of a network of 329 Local Cultural Councils (LCCs) serving all 351 cities and towns in the Commonwealth. The LCC Program is the largest grassroots cultural funding network in the nation, supporting thousands of community-based projects in the arts, sciences, and humanities every year. The state legislature provides an annual appropriation to the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency, which then allocates funds to each community.
Previously funded projects include such popular programs as:
- Bedford Arts and Crafts Society: Series of Artist Demos and Workshops
- Bedford Embraces Diversity: MLK Jr. Community Day
- Bedford Free Public Library: StoryWalk Collection
- Bedford TV: BHS Sports Live Streaming
- Sarah Scoville: Bedford Utility Box Mural
- Bedford Historical Society: September 2020 Preservationist Newsletter
The application is completely electronic, straightforward, and relatively easy to complete. Bedford funding priorities, local guidelines, and information are available online at https://www.bedfordma.gov/cultural-council and www.mass-culture.org/Bedford. The online application is available at https://massculturalcouncil.smartsimple.com/s_Login.jsp.
If you want to learn more about the online application and process, the Massachusetts Cultural Council is hosting an information session on September 9, 2021. You can register for this webinar at: https://massculturalcouncil.org/event/lcc-grant-application-walk-through/
More detailed information on the grant process can be found at: https://massculturalcouncil.org/communities/local-cultural-council-program/application-process/
If you have any questions, please email the Bedford Cultural Council ([email protected]) or call Barbara Purchia at 781-275-2464.
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