LENOX, Mass — Ventfort Hall Gilded Age Mansion & Museum has received a grant of $15,300 from the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency, through its Operating Grants for Organizations Program.

 

Operating Grants for Organizations will provide multi-year, unrestricted operating grants to nonprofit organizations that enrich Massachusetts' cultural life. These grants will work to strengthen a cultural sector that generates an economic impact of $28.6 billion, employs some 134,000 people, and constitutes 4.1 percent of the state economy.

 

"I am thrilled to see Ventfort Hall receive this well-deserved grant from the Mass Cultural Council," Former State Representative Smitty Pignatelli said. "As a treasured historic site, Ventfort Hall plays a vital role in educating our community, preserving our local heritage, and enriching our cultural landscape. This funding will provide critical support for their ongoing efforts to engage and inspire visitors, ensuring that future generations can experience the beauty and history of this remarkable landmark."

 

For this fiscal year, Mass Cultural Council has adopted a $34 million spending plan, allowing the Agency to award at least 2,500 grants totaling approximately $38 million to the Commonwealth's creative and cultural sector. This is funded primarily through public dollars, including the Agency's $26.7 million state budget appropriation and support from the National Endowment for the Arts. The agency also runs the Mass Cultural Facilities Fund in partnership with MassDevelopment.

 

"We are deeply honored to receive this generous grant from the Mass Cultural Council, which recognizes our ongoing efforts to preserve Ventfort Hall and the vibrant history it represents," Executive Director for Ventfort Hall, Wendy Healey, said. "This support is vital to our mission, which goes beyond restoring this magnificent Jacobean Revival Gilded Age mansion. It allows us to celebrate and honor the diverse individuals and eras whose stories are intertwined with this remarkable place. Thanks to the visionary generosity of organizations like the MCC, we are able to continue writing a new chapter in Ventfort Hall's legacy, ensuring that this once-exclusive Lenox "cottage" remains accessible and welcoming to all."  

 

For this fiscal year, Mass Cultural Council has adopted a $34 million spending plan, allowing the Agency to award at least 2,500 grants totaling approximately $38 million to the Commonwealth's creative and cultural sector. This is funded primarily through public dollars, including the Agency's $26.7 million state budget appropriation and support from the National Endowment for the Arts. The agency also runs the Mass Cultural Facilities Fund in partnership with MassDevelopment.