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The Worcester Arts Council (WAC) is seeking community input on arts and culture in Worcester through its 2022 Funding Priorities Survey. 

The online survey is open now through August 8, 2022, and can be completed at: https://tinyurl.com/WACSurvey2022. Responses to this brief survey will help determine WAC’s funding priorities for its 2023 grant cycle, which opens in September 2022.

“You can help shape arts and culture in the city by taking the Worcester Arts Council’s Funding Priorities Survey. Your responses directly influence where our annual grant funds go,” said Worcester Arts Council Chair Jennifer Riley. “Plus, the survey takes less than 5 minutes to complete, and you could win a pair of Ray-Ban sunglasses just for completing it!”

Those who complete the survey also have a chance to win a pair of Ray-Ban sunglasses of their choice, worth up to $300. WAC is offering this raffle prize to encourage survey participation.

Last year, WAC saw its highest Funding Priorities Survey participation ever, with over 2,000 responses. This year, the Council seeks to build on that success to gain even more participation, and broader demographics among survey respondents.

“It’s very important that these survey responses represent a wide variety of perspectives, lived experiences, and voices from across Worcester. We have extensive outreach plans again this year, and will be distributing the survey to community members all around the city,” Riley said.

Because WAC is responsible for distributing public dollars, the Council seeks community input about how to best distribute those funds through its Funding Priorities Survey each year. Like most Local Cultural Councils across the state, WAC typically receives more grant requests than can be funded. Strong priorities based on community input help guide its grant-making decisions.

“WAC deeply values the community input we receive each year,” said Riley. “The annual funding priorities we establish are based directly on these survey responses. We prioritize grant applications that align with what the Worcester community tells us is most important to them. This is an opportunity to have your say — and your voice truly matters!”

WAC also intends to publish a report with the survey results again this year, and will share the report with other local arts and cultural organizations.

The Worcester Arts Council is part of a statewide network of 329 Local Cultural Councils supported through the Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC). The Local Cultural Council (LCC) Program is the largest grassroots cultural funding network in the nation, supporting thousands of community-based projects in the arts, humanities, and sciences. This program assists the Worcester community in the development of local projects and adds to the cultural vitality of the city.

The current Worcester Arts Council members are Jennifer Riley (Chair), Lisa Malo (Vice Chair), Brandon Lewis (Secretary), Christopher Rich (Treasurer), Silvana Boaheng, Sean Brennan, David Filar, and George Sedares. 

About the Worcester Arts Council:

The Worcester Arts Council (WAC) is a municipal body consisting of nine members appointed by the City Manager. The Council is charged with promoting the cultural affairs of the City of Worcester and allocating funds received by the Council for cultural projects and programs. The mission of the Worcester Arts Council is to promote excellence, access, education and diversity in the arts, humanities and interpretative sciences to improve the quality of life for Worcester residents and contribute to the economic vitality of our City. The Worcester Arts Council is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency. For more information visit: www.worcesterma.gov/cultural-development/worcester-arts-council

About the Massachusetts Cultural Council:

The Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC) is a state agency that promotes excellence, access, education, and diversity in the arts, humanities, and interpretive sciences to improve the quality of life for all Massachusetts residents and contribute to the economic vitality of our communities. The Council pursues this mission through a combination of grant programs, partnerships, and services for nonprofit cultural organizations, schools, communities, and artists. For more information visit: http://www.massculturalcouncil.org/about/about.asp

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WORCESTER, MA January 10, 2022 – The Worcester Arts Council and the City of Worcester are proud to announce the award of 57 grants totaling more than $206,000 for arts and cultural programs in Worcester in 2022.

The Worcester Arts Council (WAC) is part of a network of 329 Local Cultural Councils (LCC) under the Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC). These LCCs serve all 351 cities and towns across the Commonwealth. Statewide, more than $4.7 million will be distributed by LCCs in 2022.

This year, WAC received $187,700 in funding from the MCC — a 12.5% increase over 2021. For the second year, WAC also received an additional $10,000 for Fellowship funding from the Greater Worcester Community Foundation’s Creative Worcester Initiative, which is funded in part by the Barr Foundation. 

WAC received a record 137 applications for its 2022 grants. Between November and December 2021, WAC evaluated all applications on criteria including public benefit, creative/artistic merit, capacity, budget, impact, and innovation. The Council also took into account how well applications reflected its annual Funding Priorities, which are established based on community input.

“For over 40 years, the Worcester Arts Council has helped arts and culture come alive in Worcester through its annual grant program. This year is no exception,” said City Manager Edward M. Augustus, Jr. “I am very happy to see the innovative projects and talented fellows who are among the list of 2022 grant recipients. I congratulate each of this year’s grantees, and I thank the members of Arts Council for their tireless dedication to serving Worcester’s creative community.”

“The Worcester Arts Council is thrilled to be able to fund 7 artist fellowships and 50 projects that will take place in Worcester in 2022,” said Worcester Arts Council Chair Jen Riley. “From fashion designers to photographers, from community murals to festivals on the Worcester Common and more, we couldn’t be prouder of our 2022 grantees. It’s an honor to support so many projects and people who inspire us, challenge us, and connect us through their creativity and imagination.”

WAC’s 2022 project grant winners reflect a wide range of Worcester-based programs and organizations, including the Juneteenth Festival from the Black Heritage Juneteenth Committee, a DIY Paint n Skate Youth Program from Push Worcester, the Main South Community Mural Project from the Main South Community Development Corporation, the Making Music with Elm Park School After School program from Pakachoag Music School, and many more.

WAC also awarded fellowships to 7 Worcester artists, including $5,000 fellowships to fashion designer, musician, and artist Emmanuel Carboo and photographer Richard Cummings, and five $2,000 fellowships to photographer George Annan, Jr., visual artist Khalil M. Guzman-Jerry, musician Kaz Supernova, visual artist John Albert Powers, and visual artist Sharinna Travieso.

The complete list of 2022 grant recipients and amounts can be found below.

WAC was also recently awarded a $250,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) as part of the American Rescue Plan. WAC is the only Local Cultural Council in Massachusetts to receive one of 60 NEA grants nationwide. WAC plans to make additional sub-granting opportunities available with its NEA funds. More details will be shared in early 2022.

The current Worcester Arts Council members are Jennifer Riley (Chair), Lisa Malo (Vice Chair), Brandon Lewis (Secretary), Christopher Rich (Treasurer), Silvana Boaheng, Sean Brennan, David Filar, and George Sedares. There is one open seat on the Council.

The 2022 Worcester Arts Council Grant Recipients are listed below, and can be found at http://www.worcesterma.gov/cultural-development/document-center/wac-grantees.pdf

About the Worcester Arts Council:

The Worcester Arts Council (WAC) is a municipal body consisting of nine members appointed by the City Manager. The Council is charged with promoting the cultural affairs of the city of Worcester and allocating funds received by the Council for cultural projects and programs. The mission of the Worcester Arts Council is to promote excellence, access, education and diversity in the arts, humanities and interpretative sciences to improve the quality of life for Worcester residents and contribute to the economic vitality of our city. The Worcester Arts Council is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency. For more information visit: www.worcesterma.gov/wac

About the Massachusetts Cultural Council:

The Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC) is a state agency that promotes excellence, access, education, and diversity in the arts, humanities, and interpretive sciences to improve the quality of life for all Massachusetts residents and contribute to the economic vitality of our communities. The Council pursues this mission through a combination of grant programs, partnerships, and services for nonprofit cultural organizations, schools, communities, and artists. For more information visit: www.massculturalcouncil.org

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The Jean McDonough Arts Center will receive $545,000 in funding from the Barr Foundation to expand equitable use of the Worcester PopUp and BrickBox Theater. 

WORCESTER, MA – January 6, 2022 The Barr Foundation has awarded $545,000 to the Worcester Cultural Coalition (WCC) to support the arts community, with an emphasis on uplifting historically marginalized and underrepresented groups.

As part of its plan for the funds, the WCC is launching multiple initiatives aimed at helping individuals and organizations bring their creative visions to life. Over the next twelve months, the funding will provide three types of opportunities at the Jean McDonough Arts Center (JMAC), an arts-and-cultural space located in Downtown Worcester: 

Rental subsidy of the BrickBox Theater:Qualifying organizations and individuals can receive venue rental costs at no charge on a first-come-first-serve basis, until funds are exhausted. 

One-day event sponsorship: Up to ten presenters will receive venue rental and staffing costs for a one-day event, and up to $2,500 for discretionary expenses, at no charge.

Month-long residency at the JMAC: Up to three presenters will be selected for a one-month residency, including all venue space rental and staffing costs, up to $15,000 in discretionary funds, and exclusive use of the JMAC for the final week of each residency, at no charge.

Applications for all three opportunities are available through JMACWorcester.org. Priority will be given to individuals and groups which identify as led by, or focused on, historically marginalized or underrepresented groups, such as BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ communities. Worcester Cultural Coalition members, which are local cultural nonprofits, are also encouraged to apply.

“The JMAC is committed to equity and inclusion of the many types of art, culture, and creativity that exist in our region, and to diversity in its presenters and audiences. It was developed to help fill a gap in affordability and accessibility in Worcester’s arts and culture scene, both for the public and the creators,” said Erin Williams, executive director of the Worcester Cultural Coalition. “Paired with the dedicated JMAC staff, these Barr funds will improve access to the JMAC and its resources, furthering the venue’s mission in meaningful ways, and helping to boost engagement and support the continued resiliency of the arts ecosystem as we continue to navigate the pandemic.”

“We believe that artists are the building blocks of our communities,” noted SueEllen Kroll, Senior Program Officer for Arts & Creativity at the Barr Foundation. “The JMAC is a critical cultural home and community space for Worcester’s BIPOC and underserved artists so that their voices, creativity, and stories are uplifted and celebrated. We are proud to partner with the Worcester Cultural Coalition to ensure artists have the support to get back to work and lead in their communities as we transition back to in-person creative experiences.”

“The JMAC team already caters to creatives without a Broadway budget,” noted Eric Butler, Chair of the Worcester Cultural Coalition Board. “Nevertheless, all the costs associated with working in a professional venue can remain a hurdle. We’re grateful to the Barr Foundation for these funds, which will further reduce these barriers by augmenting what’s already happening at the JMAC with more support for underserved creatives and local cultural organizations.”

“We hosted the El Salón collective for our pilot residency in 2021,” said PopUp Managing Director Hank von Hellion. “The experience challenged their artists to use the venue in creative ways, and challenged us to help them not only execute events, but also make the JMAC their home, a place to fully realize their creative visions.”

“We’re excited to take what we learned from that experience and build upon it this coming year,” added BrickBox Managing Director Olivia Scanlon.

“I can enthusiastically say these initiatives are a win for everyone they will touch – from the JMAC and WCC to those who will have their voices heard, from those who will hear these voices, and to all who will feel the echo,” said Butler, who has used the space as both an independent presenter and in his work with the WCLOC Theater Company.

Interested presenters are invited to a Q+A session at the JMAC on January 12, 2022 from 6:30pm – 7:30pm. In-person RSVP and link to livestream are available at BarrQA.eventbrite.com. Full details regarding COVID-19 safety protocols are available at JMACWorcester.org/covid19.

Additional details about the JMAC/Barr accessibility initiative, including eligibility requirements and application forms, are available at JMACWorcester.org/BarrInitiative.

About the Worcester Cultural Coalition: The Worcester Cultural Coalition (WCC) is a public-private partnership established in 1999 between the City of Worcester and 12 cultural organizations. In 2021, membership stands at 80 organizations, which host over 2.7 million visitors annually, from Worcester and beyond. Its mission is to draw on Worcester’s rich and diverse cultural assets to foster economic revitalization, support active and creative engagement for all, and to promote a strong cultural identity for Greater Worcester. The WCC supports and encourages action that meets the creative goals of the Worcester Cultural Plan: promoting cultural equity and creative community engagement for all. Learn more at WorcesterCulture.org.

About the Jean McDonough Arts Center: Comprising the ever-changing “permanent” PopUp and the intimate BrickBox Theater, the Jean McDonough Arts Center (JMAC) is an initiative of the Worcester Cultural Coalition, operated in partnership with The Hanover Theatre and Conservatory for the Performing Arts. The JMAC is home to myriad creative events and cultural initiatives. Individuals and groups can present or develop a wide range of work at the JMAC, including but not limited to work in theater dance, film, music, performance art, visual art, fashion design and video game design. Completion of the JMAC was made possible with the generosity of the late Jean McDonough and the McDonough family. Learn more at JMACWorcester.org.

About the Barr Foundation: The Barr Foundation’s mission is to invest in human, natural, and creative potential, serving as thoughtful stewards and catalysts. Based in Boston, Barr focuses regionally, and selectively engages nationally, working in partnership with nonprofits, foundations, the public sector, and civic and business leaders to elevate the arts, advance solutions for climate change, and connect all students to success in high school and beyond. Founded in 1997, Barr now has assets in excess of $3 billion, and has contributed more than $1 billion to charitable causes. For more information, visit barrfoundation.org and @BarrFdn on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. 

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Open September 1 through October 15, 2021

Worcester, MA  – The Worcester Arts Council (WAC) is now accepting grant applications for its FY22 funding cycle. The deadline to apply is October 15, 2021. 

As part of a statewide network of Local Cultural Councils (LCCs), WAC receives funding through the Mass Cultural Council (MCC) annually. For FY22, WAC will once again award thousands for local arts and cultural programs in Worcester to individuals, nonprofits, associations that can establish a nonprofit objective, schools, libraries, and other public agencies. This year, WAC will receive over $187,000 from the MCC for its grants, representing an increase of 12.5% over last year’s funding allocation.

“The Worcester Arts Council is proud to support local arts and culture with our fellowships and project grants again in 2022, and thrilled to have received over $187,000 in funding from the Mass Cultural Council this year,” said Worcester Arts Council Chair Jennifer Riley. “There is a lot of creativity here in Worcester that is deserving of our support. These grants make it possible for many creative projects, programs, and people to blossom, and add to the vitality of our city.”

WAC offers two types of grants: project grants and fellowship grants. Project grants support individuals and organizations from Worcester County in developing projects and programs within the city of Worcester that are innovative, collaborative, provide a public benefit, reach underserved populations, and demonstrate creative excellence. Fellowship grants help Worcester artists of all trades in developing and exploring their work outside the structure of a specific project.

New for FY22, WAC will use direct granting instead of reimbursement-based granting for its project grants. In the past, project grant recipients first paid out of pocket for all expenses, then submitted a request for reimbursement. While the process worked, it also posed a potential financial barrier; it could be a challenge for some to first pay for project expenses themselves. The change to direct granting will allow project grant recipients to receive funding up front, before they’ve incurred any expenses to bring their project to life.

m>“In making the change to direct granting for FY22, the Worcester Arts Council has taken an important step toward greater accessibility to our grants,” said Riley. “We believe this change will help ease the financial burden for all who wish to apply. It’s also our hope that folx who saw reimbursement-based granting as a barrier in the past will now find they are better able to plan creative projects in Worcester and apply for our grants.”

While all projects within the realm of arts, sciences, and humanities will be considered, based on the feedback received from the Worcester community through its annual Funding Priorities Survey, WAC will give preference to grant applicants and projects that align with the following priorities for FY22:

• Project Categories | Projects that focus on Public Art, Arts Education & Instruction, and Children’s Programs.
• Cultural Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion | Projects that elevate the voices and experiences of historically marginalized groups to highlight the current and historical diversity of Worcester. Projects should create opportunities for artists and community members who identify as Black, Indigenous, POC, LGBTQX, refugee, immigrant, or person living with a disability.
• Locations | Projects that take place in or benefit areas of Worcester that are historically underserved.

WAC’s FY22 Grant Guidelines and instructions on how to apply can be found at: worcesterma.gov/wac

All applications must be submitted online by October 15, 2021. Late applications cannot be accepted for any reason. WAC will review all grant applications from November through December 2021. Applicants who are denied funding will be notified in early January 2022. Applicants who are awarded grants will be notified by late January 2022.

WAC will also host a virtual Grant Workshop on Wednesday, September 22 from 7-8pm on Zoom. WAC encourages anyone who may be interested in learning more or applying, especially first-time applicants, to attend. Pre-register at: tinyurl.com/wacgrantworkshop

The current Worcester Arts Council members are Jennifer Riley (Chair), Brandon Lewis (Secretary), Christopher Rich (Treasurer), Silvana Boaheng, Sean Brennan, David Filar, Lisa Malo, and George Sedares. There is one open seat on the Council.

About the Worcester Arts Council:

The Worcester Arts Council (WAC) is a municipal body consisting of nine members appointed by the City Manager. The Council is charged with promoting the cultural affairs of the city of Worcester and allocating funds received by the Council for cultural projects and programs. The mission of the Worcester Arts Council is to promote excellence, access, education and diversity in the arts, humanities and interpretative sciences to improve the quality of life for Worcester residents and contribute to the economic vitality of our city. The Worcester Arts Council is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency. For more information visit: www.worcesterma.gov/wac

About the Massachusetts Cultural Council:

The Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC) is a state agency that promotes excellence, access, education, and diversity in the arts, humanities, and interpretive sciences to improve the quality of life for all Massachusetts residents and contribute to the economic vitality of our communities. The Council pursues this mission through a combination of grant programs, partnerships, and services for nonprofit cultural organizations, schools, communities, and artists. For more information visit: www.massculturalcouncil.org

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