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Date: 1/23/2024
AMHERST — Grant funds supporting proposals for music and theater events, visual artists and natural environment programs were announced by the Amherst Cultural Council on Jan. 18.
The nearly $55,000 allocated represents awards to 62 recipients in all, a broad range of organizations and institutions in and around Amherst said Matt Holloway, co-chair of the council.
“We’re really excited about this slate of grantees this year,” Holloway said. “We have some really exciting things that I think celebrate people from all walks of life and really sort of elevate a whole range of different voices.”
Among the two largest of the grants are allotments of $3,000 each for the Black Business Association of Amherst Area for their Still We Rise: Black Celebration Series and to the Center for Human Development for their All In! End-of-Year Recital.
“Two really, really exciting ways to get visibility to different groups and to bring some great programming to the area.” Holloway said.
Among several recipients of grants of $2,000 or more are The Downtown Amherst Foundation in collaboration with Amherst-Pelham Regional High School supporting arts programs at the Drake, Restless Books to support an Amherst Immigrant Writing Workshop, the Ancestral Bridges Foundation and Silverthorne Theater Company, staging its entire season at Hampshire College this year.
“The theater arts are something we’re always excited to support,” Holloway added.
Part of a network of 329 local cultural councils serving all 351 cities and towns in the commonwealth, the Amherst Cultural Council receives allocations from the Massachusetts Cultural Council which in turn is funded by arts lottery money and allocates funds to each community.
The council receives and reviews proposals submitted for activities and programs and money is awarded based upon the level of public benefit that the council believes the grant would bring to residents in and around Amherst.
State Rep. Mindy Domb (D-Amherst) expressed enthusiasm for the grant funding and support for the work accomplished by the council.
“Once again, the time and efforts of the council’s members, led by co-chairs Matt Holloway and Julianne Applegate, have resulted in expanded and enhanced arts and cultural programming in our town and region,” she said. “Their decisions distribute the state allocation of $54,822 for Amherst to over 60 groups, events and artists and help to ensure that our community has a variety of programs to enjoy and participate in. The results of their efforts directly support these individuals and groups and contribute to the strengthen and vibrancy of our community.”
More than $3.3 million will be distributed statewide by local cultural councils this year.
After receiving input from a community survey, Holloway said the final 62 grant allotments were awarded from more than 100 applications submitted for funding.
“We really think we’ve delivered on what the community said they wanted,” he said. “So, we’re really proud of this slate of grantees, it’s going to be a great year for arts in Amherst.”
A full listing of all the grants can be found at: amherstma.gov/1221/Cultural-Council.