Mass Cultural Council
/OVERVIEW: The Mass Cultural Council supports drawing, printmaking, poetry, traditional arts, choreography, fiction, creative nonfiction, painting, crafts, dramatic writing, sculpture, installations, new art genres, film, video, music composition, and photography in Massachusetts.
FUNDING AREAS: Arts and culture, drawing, printmaking, poetry, traditional arts, choreography, fiction, creative nonfiction, painting, crafts, dramatic writing, sculpture, installations, new art genres, film, video, music composition, photography, youth, community
IP TAKE: There are some excellent opportunities here for individual artists who are Massachusetts residents and create original work.
PROFILE: The Mass Cultural Council (MCC) is a state agency and grantmaker based in Boston, Massachusetts. MCC receives funds from the state legislature, National Endowment for the Arts, and other donors. The foundation aims to promote “excellence, inclusion, education, and diversity in the arts, humanities, and sciences, foster a rich cultural life for all Massachusetts residents, and contribute to the vitality of our communities and economy.” It funds local efforts for drawing, printmaking, poetry, traditional arts, choreography, fiction, creative nonfiction, painting, crafts, dramatic writing, sculpture, installations, new art genres, film, video, music composition, and photography.
The Mass Cultural Council makes grants directly to nonprofit cultural groups, schools, communities, and individuals artists. It features programs to support artists making art, youth art education, cultural experiences for communities, and capacity building for cultural organizations. MCC’s artist fellowships are direct grants to artists for exceptional, original work. Each year, MCC divides types of art into two categories with different deadlines for each fellowship. Categories come up for review every other year. MCC awards approximately 30 to 40 fellowships and has 30 to 40 finalists every year. Aside from the fellowships, other funding goes towards art festivals, traditional arts apprenticeships, and youth programming.
Grants range between about $1,000 and $20,000. Learn more about this funder’s local giving on the funding lists page of the MCC website. Grantmaking focuses on Massachusetts. Past local organization grantees include African Cultural Services in Waltham, Alchemy Institute in Pittsfield, and the Angkor Dance Troupe in Lowell.
This foundation accepts unsolicited grant applications from nonprofits and individual artists and uses an online application system. Individual artist fellowship annual deadlines are in October and January, while other deadlines vary by program. Direct general questions to the staff at 617-858-2700 or to individual staff members by email.
PEOPLE:
Search for staff contact info and bios in PeopleFinder (paid subscribers only).
LINKS:
