The Northampton Arts Council is pleased to announce the 2024 Local Cultural Council Program.
Donor Name: Northampton Arts Council
State: Massachusetts
City: Northampton, Florence, or Leeds
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 10/19/2023
Size of the Grant: $250
Grant Duration: 12 months
Details:
The purpose of the local and regional cultural councils is to support public programs that advance the Commonwealth’s creative and cultural sector to foster a rich cultural life in communities across the Commonwealth. Local decision-making is an integral element of this system. Local Cultural Councils have the right and responsibility to award grants that address cultural needs specific to their communities.
This year the Arts Council will be awarding grants in the following categories: Dance, Literature, Media Arts, Multidisciplinary, Music, Theater, and Visual Arts.
Priorities
LCCs are authorized and encouraged to develop additional criteria based on their annual community input process and may give priority to their criteria to reflect local concerns and community cultural needs. Councils should formulate council priorities that ensure funding is broadly available to the widest range of diverse community needs. Council priorities must be posted on the LCC’s public council profile to be used as criteria for granting decisions. Based on community input and community need LCCs could consider:
- Encouraging applications for operating support to allow organizations more responsive, flexible support.
- Loosening local requirements for a set date and set venue at the time of application given the uncertainty applicants face in planning at this time.
- Prioritizing funding for historically under-funded communities including BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) communities, individuals with disabilities, low-income communities, and individual artists.
Types of Grants
- A LCC may approve grants for a broad range of projects and programs, such as operating support, ticket subsidies, field trips, artist residencies, public art, fellowships, community events/programs, site specific projects, and other activities, based on local priorities.
Funding Information
- Local Cultural Council grants vary by council, and are determined by each LCC. Mass Cultural Council strongly encourages granting no less than a minimum of $250 to each approved application.
Project Period
Projects may start no earlier than January 1, 2024, and must be completed by December 31, 2024
Eligibility Criteria
Arts projects that include a public component, such as exhibits, festivals, short-term artist residencies, performances, workshops, readings, virtual presentations, and lectures held in Northampton, Florence, or Leeds; this includes programming held in schools.
- Artists who reside in Massachusetts but whose project will be held in Northampton, Florence, or Leeds. For individuals, “reside” does not mean they have to be a “legal resident” of Massachusetts as defined by the State for tax purposes. They simply need to reside in Massachusetts.
- Non-profit cultural and educational institutions that offer programs and events that bring arts and culture to a Northampton area audience.
- Work demonstrating the highest artistic merit.
- Projects that are financially feasible and have multiple sources of funding.
- If you are live-streaming a public event, captions should be provided. In place of captions, you might consider having a message that says, “This event will be recorded and then embedded on our Youtube channel, where captions and a transcript will be available.” Before putting on a virtual program, you could ask people to register, and in the registration submission, ask people to communicate any accessibility needs with a deadline by which they need to let you know. It is easier to book a captioner and cancel (with at least 48 h notice) than to get one in 48 hours.
- Also note: Schools, not artists, should apply for projects that take place in schools.
- For-profit entities that propose projects that provide public benefit.
- “Public entities” include Tribal, Federal, State, and Municipal government entities.
For more information, visit Northampton Arts Council.
