Mayor Walsh Announces Call for Applications for Boston Cultural Council Organizational Grants

BOSTON - Friday, September 9, 2016 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh today announced that applications are now available for the 2017 Boston Cultural Council Grants.  More than $450,000 will be awarded to organizations and projects in Boston that enhance the quality of life, the economy, the design of the City of Boston and that address the goals of the Boston Creates Cultural Plan.

Applications will be accepted until October 17, 2016 at 5:00 p.m. and can be found on the Boston Cultural Commission website.

"The Boston Cultural Council Grants provide local organizations with funding needed to create the programs that help Boston's artists thrive," said Mayor Walsh. "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."  

Grants this year will be made in two categories based on budget size:

• Under $1 million annual budget : Organizations with a budget of under $1 million located in the City of Boston may apply for general operating support. Organizations under $1 million who are located outside of the City of Boston, but who offer programs in the City may apply for program specific support.
• Over $1 million annual budget: Organizations located within the City of Boston with budgets over $1 million may apply for project specific support.

Successful applications will be specific about how they help grow access to the arts in areas not already well served by cultural opportunities, 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. 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. "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.

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 the arts, humanities and innovative science programs that enhance the quality of life in the City of Boston.

Mayor's Office of Arts and Culture (MOAC)

The Mayor's Office of Arts and Culture's mission is to support artists, the cultural sector, and to promote access to the arts for all. The office houses the Boston Cultural Council, the Boston Art Commission, and the Poet Laureate program. Responsibilities include leading up the City's cultural plan, Boston Creates; managing the Boston Artist-in-Residence program; curating exhibitions in City Hall; and operating the historic Strand Theater in Dorchester. For more information, click here.

About the Boston Creates Cultural Plan

The cultural plan was created out of a year-long community engagement effort designed to help local government identify cultural needs, opportunities, and resources and to prioritize, coordinate, and align public and private resources to strengthen cultural vitality over the long term. The Boston Creates process was funded by The Barr Foundation and The Klarman Family Foundation. The full cultural plan can be found online at http://plan.bostoncreates.org.