Chicopee Cultural Council announces 2023 grant recipients

Date: 2/21/2023

CHICOPEE — Several artistic endeavors throughout the city will be financially supported from Chicopee Cultural Council grants. The organization is awarding over 60 local artistic programs with $85,000 in funding that derives from the Massachusetts Cultural Council. The recipients will each be honored at a grant recipient ceremony on March 24.

Chicopee Cultural Council Chair Jeannette Rivera discussed the organization’s essential mission of bolstering artistic endeavors throughout the community. Several of the largest grant recipients, including $8,000 for Elementary School Snack and Paint and $7,500 toward Pottery for the People, support youth programs occurring in Chicopee Public Schools.

“Most of our largest recipients are [for] the public schools,” said Rivera in an interview with Reminder Publishing.

For recipients outside of the educational sector, the council embraced an extensive outreach effort to the community. The organization hosted several meetings to encourage new grant submissions.

“We outreached in various communities, especially encouraging and supporting first time grant submitters. We held our coffee and tea with the Chicopee Cultural Council series last fall, which gave space for folks to come and spend an hour with a cultural council member,” said Rivera.

Rivera considered new and returning grant submissions essential in supporting the artistic vitality of Chicopee.

“We are excited to continue offering spaces for folks to get creative, feel seen and experiences cultures and activities that they normally would not have access to,” said Rivera.

An inclusionary focus is also important to the Chicopee Cultural Council. Rivera highlighted several grant recipients that spotlight diversity, equity and inclusion, such as Quiero Volver — an opera featuring a Latinx, LGBTQ+ and disabled perspective.

“We really try to be inclusionary with our grants,” said Rivera.

The Chicopee Cultural Council is also looking forward to their upcoming slate of events. The organization will host their third annual Clean Sweep event in April to honor Earth Day. Rivera considers the event a great community bonding activity that helps beautify several areas throughout the city.

“It’s our third year. We are excited to beautify the city and help highlight Chicopee as the beautiful piece of art it is,” said Rivera.

The council will also celebrate LGBTQ+ Pride Month in June. Rivera said the organization is planning two celebratory events — a flag-raising ceremony and the council’s second annual Pride Parade.

Whether its grant recipients or cultural council events, Rivera expressed her support for what the organization accomplishes with their efforts.

“I believe the Chicopee Cultural Council is integral in supporting arts and cultural revitalization and engagement. We support a lot of programing in the city … They have a local impact, but they go beyond Chicopee,” said Rivera.

Here is the full list of grant recipients:

• All Our Kids, Inc. - Foster Families at the Big E $775
• Alvarez, Diana R. - Quiero Volver: A Xingonx Ritual Opera $2,717
• Anna E. Barry School - School Enrichment $1,220
• Barrett, Cynthia - Emma and Belley: Little Detectives, A Bilingual Book $150
• Bates III, Davis R. - Raising Our Voices: A Library Summer Reading Performance $500
• Boutin, Melanie - Springfield Museums - $825
• Bowie School - Old Sturbridge Village 2023 - $1,250
• Boys & Girls Club of Chicopee, Inc. - Photography Exploration Program - $2,000
• Campbell, Sara - Where Were You in 1950? See What the 1950 Census Tells Us - $200
• Chicopee Comprehensive High School - Addams Family - $1,500
• Chicopee Parks & Recreation - Aldenville Commons Summer Concert Series - $1,500
• Chicopee Parks & Recreation - Fourth of July Concert Celebration - $1,000
• Chicopee Public Library - The Nields - $1,000
• Chicopee Public Library - New Inca Son - $1,500
• Chicopee Public Library - Tanglewood Marionettes: The Dragon King - $725
• Chicopee Public Schools - Pottery for the People - $7,475
• Chicopee Public Schools - Elementary School Snack and Paint - $8,000
• ChicopeeTV - Film Club Short Film - $2,300
• ChicopeeTV - ChicopeeTV’s Center Stage: Season 3 - $2,000
• City of Chicopee - Puerto Rican Heritage celebration event - $3,000
• Cobb, Ruth - United Program for Arts - $225
• Comeau, Robert - Chicopee Historical Tours - $400
• Dworkin, Motoko - Tales & Origami for Teens - $500
• Ferguson, Carrie - Carrie Ferguson and the Grumpytime Club Band concert - $550
• Hiding In Plain Sight, Inc. - Creative Care Workshop - $4,600
• Hurlbut, Steven M. - Jumpin’ Juba Library Concert - $325
• Jennings, Mary - Monthly spoken word open stage at the Art Lounge - $1,000
• Keezing, Jonathan A. - Timeless Tales! - $300
• Laboy, Charles - One Strong Community Program Internship 2022 - $2,000
• Lambert Lavoie Elementary School - Berkshire Theatre Group at Lambert Lavoie School - $1,325
• Lambert Lavoie Elementary School - Hansel and Gretel come to Lambert Lavoie School - $1,400
• Leventhal, Rona - Travelin’ Shoes: A Multi-Cultural Storytelling Extravaganza! - $1,175
• Lewis, Stephen - International Womens’ Day - a poster exhibition - $180
• Music Dance.edu - Hip Hop Chair Dance for Seniors! - $600
• Maichack, Gregory - The Rose: Find Your Voice with Pastel Painting - $520
• Novi Cantori of Greater Springfield, Inc. - Novi Cantori Concert - $600
• Patrick E. Bowe School - Springfield Museums - $825
• Patrick E. Bowe School - Crystal Clear Science - $2,000
• Plasse, Richard - Name That TV Theme - $500
• Root, John A. “Organic Gardening for Everyone” - $500
• Ross, Sheldon - Premier Brass Quartet Performance & Sing Along - $385
• Small Planet Dancers - Wassail! A Victorian Holiday - $450
• Smith, Trevor - Laugh for the Fun of it - $350
• Sobel, Anna R. - Two Dinosaurs Are Better Than One - $300
• Special Needs Advocacy Network, Inc. – Outcomes - $500
• St. Joan of Arc/St. George School - Tanglewood Marionettes come to St. Joan of Arc School - $1,450
• Sticca, Paul - Chicopee Public Library Concerts – Acousticca - $500
• Stockwell, Bernadette- Chicopee: Do Your ARt! - $300
• Sutherland, Debra - Welcome to Chicopee Mural - $1,300
• Tatft, Dorenda - Intro to Meditation and the Law of Attraction for Children - $1,800
• The Greater Chicopee Chamber of Commerce Inc. - Center Fresh Market Music Series - $3,200
• The Massachusetts International Festival of the Arts, Inc. - Si Se Puede (Yes We Can) - $3,000
• The Polish Genealogical Society of Massachusetts (PGSMA) Whom Do I Ask, Grandma and Grandpa are Gone, Discover Your Heritage with PGSMA - $1,000
• Tincknell, Roger L. - Classic Country - $450
• Valley Arts Mentors - Valley Arts Mentors: Mentorship Program & Webinar Series - $750
• Watsky, Craig - A Celebration of “Rise Up: Indigenous Music” publication - $300
• Watsky, Craig - A Further Exploration of the Indigenous Presence in Chicopee and Western MA - $1,500
• Watsky, Craig - Drum Away the Blues - $900
• Watsky, Craig - Drum Away the Blues - $900
• Watsky, Craig - Celebration of Music - $600
• Witt, Mary - Music for Community - $1,000
• Wofford, Wade - Urban Ed, a film about education - $5,000