2019 Boston Cultural Council Organizational Grant application now open

Mayor Martin J. Walsh and the Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture, in partnership with the Boston Cultural Council (BCC) and Mass Cultural Council (MCC), today announced applications for the 2019 BCC Organizational Grants are now open. Building on Mayor Walsh’s commitment to expanding and supporting arts in Boston, this year’s round of funding marks the largest ever and totals nearly $500,000 available to arts organizations.

“Boston is home to so many great arts organizations who are making significant impacts on our communities with their programming,” said Mayor Walsh. “I am so proud that we are able to support their efforts through these grants, and I can’t wait to see the variety of arts opportunities that each neighborhood takes advantage of in 2019.”

The BCC works under the umbrella of the Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture and distributes funds annually from the City of Boston and Mass Cultural Council that support innovative arts, humanities, and interpretive sciences programming with the goal of enhancing the quality of life in Boston.

BCC organizational grants are grants of up to $5,000 for organizations and projects that benefit the public. Organizations can apply for either general operating expenses or project costs depending on their budget size. 

Organizations may apply for funding for the following art categories:

• Music
• Film and video
• Folk and traditional art
• Visual art
• Theater
• Dance
• Humanities
• Literary arts
• Performance or time-based arts
• Social and civic practices, 
• And multi-disciplinary arts.

In 2018, the BCC awarded over $470,000 in grants to 181 organizations. The Boston Cultural Council is a local agency funded by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency. In this year’s funding round, the City of Boston is contributing $300,000 in funding and the MCC has allocated $199,100 to the BCC for 2019 organizational grants.

This year, the BCC has taken several steps to make the grant process more equitable, including making the application available in six languages, and improving outreach to underserved communities. The Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture will also hold several grant workshops in various neighborhoods throughout the City to explain the application process.

“Every year we support the work of arts organizations that have a deep impact on their communities,” said Kara Elliott-Ortega, Chief of Arts and Culture. “These organizations promote cultural exchange, embed creative opportunities in every neighborhood, and engage youth and audiences around the City.” 

Council members are Boston residents appointed by Mayor Martin J. Walsh. They serve up to two consecutive three-year terms and are picked based on their commitment to Boston’s cultural community and their knowledge of various arts disciplines. Four new members were appointed to the BCC this year, including Paola Garcia Bustamante, Lana Jackson, Jennifer Falk, and Daniel Francois.

The deadline to apply for BCC organizational grants is Monday, October 15, 2018. You can find more information online.