NORTH ADAMS, Mass.— State Representative John Barrett, III and the Cultural Council of Northern Berkshire jointly announced awards of 83 grants totaling $85,537.00, for cultural programs in Northern Berkshire Communities. 

 

"I'm pleased that the State Legislature has once again shown its support of local cultural councils across the State. Investing in arts, sciences, and humanities has proven to be a critical component in improving the quality of life in communities across the Commonwealth," said State Representative John Barrett, III.

 

A full list of awards can be found here.

 

These eleven communities are comprised of; Adams, Cheshire, Clarksburg, Florida, Hancock, Lanesboro, Monroe, New Ashford, Savoy, Williamstown, and the City of North Adams. 

 

The Cultural Council of Northern Berkshire is part of a network of 329 Local Cultural Councils serving all 351 cities and towns in the Commonwealth. The 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.

 

Decisions about which activities to support are made at the community level by a board of municipally appointed volunteers. 

 

Statewide, more than $4 million will be distributed by local cultural councils in 2022. Grants will support a range of grass-roots activities: concerts, exhibitions, radio and video productions, field trips for schoolchildren, after-school youth programs, writing workshops, historical preservation efforts, lectures, First Night celebrations, nature and science education programs for families and town festivals. Nearly half of LCC funds support educational activities for young people.

 

The Cultural Council of Northern Berkshire will seek applications again in the fall. Applications and more information about the Local Cultural Council Program are available online at massculturalcouncil.org.