Limited funding won't inhibit Cultural Council

Date: 12/29/2009

By Katelyn Gendron

Reminder Assistant Editor



AGAWAM -- The Agawam Cultural Council (ACC) is continuing to set the bar high for community programming through-out town, despite limited funding.

The ACC announced the fiscal year 2010 (FY10) grant recipients last week, totaling $8,760 for 16 different artistic, educational programs at various venues throughout Agawam.

"We had so many good applications this year," Robert Kadis, chair of the ACC, said, adding there were 24 applications totaling $16,795.

Kadis said he was surprised there weren't more requests for funding, given the economic climate. He noted there were only 24 applications this year, compared to last year's 38.

"One would expect, with the economy, that more people would ask for more money," Kadis told Reminder Publications.

The ACC is funded through appropriations from the Massachusetts Cultural Council -- a state agency designed to promote the arts, sciences and humanities -- determined by a local aid formula, in addition to the ACC's own fundraising campaigns.

Kadis noted the ACC granted $305 more this fiscal year than in FY09.

Steve Henderson, a FY10 grant recipient, will use the funds to create a senior theater group at the Agawam Senior Center.

"The ACC and the Senior Center [personnel] have been really great to me and anything I can do to help [make the lives of seniors better is great]," Henderson said, adding previous experiences with senior theater groups have been successful.

He said the new group will put on a production for the public in 2010.

Musician David Polansky, a FY10 grant recipient, will use the funds to perform a family concert titled "Going Green at Your Library."

He explained the one-hour concert will teach children the importance of recycling and methods for eco-friendly living through original and cover songs.

The ACC's FY10 grants also include funding for a monthly newsletter by Kathy Shepard; a poster exhibit at the library titled "The Universal Struggle for Better Working Conditions" and other per-formances at the library and within the Agawam Public Schools.

For more information on the ACC or on how to apply for an ACC grant, visit their Web site, www.agawamcc.org.