Applications are now available for the 2017 Boston Cultural Council Grants from the Boston Cultural Commission, according to a press release.
More than $450,000 will be awarded to organizations and projects in Boston that address the goals of the Boston Creates Cultural Plan. The Boston Creates Cultural Plan was created out of a year-long community engagement effort with the goals of helping local government identify cultural needs, opportunities, and resources. The plan can be found at bostoncreates.org.
“The Boston Cultural Council Grants provide local organizations with funding needed to create the programs that help Boston’s artists thrive,” said Mayor Martin Walsh, according to the press release. “By increasing funding for these grants over the past two years, we’ve been able to support a larger, more diverse group of projects. I look forward to building upon the success of the program to reach even more artists and arts organizations this year.”
The Boston Cultural Council falls under the Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture and receives annual funding from the state-run Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC) to support arts, humanities, and science programs.
Grants will be awarded to organizations based on budget size. Organizations located in the City of Boston with a budget of under $1 million may apply for general operating support, and organizations located outside of the City of Boston that offer programs in the City may apply for program specific support.
If an organization located within the City of Boston has a budget over $1 million, they may apply for project specific support.
The City has outlined some guidelines for successful applications in the press release. Applications should be specific about how they help grow access to the arts in areas not already well served by cultural opportunities. They should also “outline how they foster access to the arts for populations who don’t typically have ready access to the arts, elevate the work of Boston’s creatives, inspire the creation of new works, and support the achievement and provision of excellent, high quality arts and culture in the City of Boston,” according to the press release.
Last year, 177 organizations supporting arts and culture across the City of Boston were awarded grants totaling $428,650 by the Boston Cultural Council.
“Mayor Walsh’s continued commitment to the Boston Cultural Council grants helps ensure our ability to fund projects that help us achieve the goals of the Boston Creates cultural plan,” said Julie Burros, chief of Arts and Culture for the City of Boston, according to the press release. “Boston is city with a thriving local arts community and that is reflected in the quality and quantity of grant applications received.”
Grant workshops and webinars to explain the process will be held during the months of September and October. The dates for these sessions will be posted on the Boston Cultural Council site as soon as they are scheduled. Applications will be reviewed and voted on in public meetings during the months of October and November. The grant award winners will be published in January.
Applications for the grants can be found on the Boston Cultural Commission website at bostonculturalcouncil.com, and will be accepted until Oct.17 at 5 p.m.