State Representative William M. 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. A complete list of recipients can be found below.
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 and Tri-County Symphonic Band
The Mattapoisett Cultural Council will seek applications again in the fall. Information will be available online at: massculturalcouncil.org/communities/local-cultural-council-program/application-process/.