Acton-Boxborough Cultural Council

News & Events

see our calendar

Amount Available for Granting in FY 2011

$7,740

PASS applications are accepted.

LCC Program Guidelines (PDF)

The postmark deadline for applications is October 15

Funding Priorities

Acton-Boxborough Cultural Council Funding Priorities and Grant Evaluation:

Applications are initially screened using the following criteria:

• Specificity - project must include performance/exhibit date, audience, and confirmed venue. Application must include date and venue confirmation in the form of a letter or approved reservation form from the venue host.
  
• Non-substitution - Cultural Council funds are not intended to substitute, replace or relieve existing public funds for programs in the arts. Schools and libraries may only request funding for cultural enrichment activities that are led by outside artists, humanists or interpretive scientists. The cultural professional cannot be a current employee of the shool system.

Applications will then be evaluated using all of the following criteria:

• Must demonstrate benefit to Acton and/or Boxborough residents
  
• Collaboration between and among artists and local institutions
  
• Artistic excellence (as reflected in resumes, letters, press, videos, other qualifying materials)
  
• Diversity of age groups, cultural backgrounds and artistic disciplines
  
• Originality
  
• Feasibility - ability of the applicant to carry out the project as proposed
  
• Maximum community/audience impact, including ratio of dollars spent to number served.

Local Guidelines

Who can apply: Eligible applicants for ABCC Grants (both LCC Grants and PASS Grants) include: individuals; private-nonprofit organizations; un-incorporated associations; schools; libraries, or other public agencies; and religious organizations. Current employees of school systems are not eligible to receive a grant for themselves.
What we can fund: LCC Grants fund projects involving the study, pursuit, performance, exhibition, and enjoyment of the arts. Applications for humanities or interpretive science projects with an arts component will also be considered. PASS Grants fund field trips by subsidizing the cost of admission for performances, tours and exhibits. A limited number of PASS grants may be awarded. Maximum ticket price is $12 and transportation costs will not be covered by the PASS grant. Please note that PASS grants require a specific PASS application. For cultural field trips with admission greater than $12 per ticket, use the regular LCC application. The Massachusetts Cultural Council has a separate program, Big Yellow School Bus, which provides grants for transportation for cultural field trips. See www.massculturalcouncil.org.
Matching funds are strongly encouraged. Do not depend on ABCC grants for sole funding. You may use Cultural Council grants to leverage other grants, contributions or in-kind donations.
Funding Priorities and Grant Evaluation: Applications are initially screened using the following criteria:
• Specificity—project must have a confirmed performance/exhibit date, audience, and venue. Applicants must provide a venue confirmation in the form of a letter or approved reservation form from the venue host.
• Non-substitution—Cultural Council funds are not intended to substitute, replace or relieve existing public funds for programs in the arts. Schools and libraries may only request funding for cultural enrichment activities that are led by outside artists, humanists or interpretive scientists. The cultural professional cannot be a current employee of the school system.
Applications will then be evaluated using all of the following criteria:
• Benefit to Acton and/or Boxborough residents
• Collaboration between and among artists and local institutions
• Artistic excellence (as reflected in resumes, letters, press, videos, other qualifying materials)
• Diversity of age groups, cultural backgrounds and artistic disciplines
• Originality
• Feasibility—ability of the applicant to carry out the project as proposed
• Maximum community/audience impact, including ratio of dollars spent to number served
Limitations:
• Projects for consideration must fall between October 15, 2010 and December 31, 2011.
• The ABCC will support fund-raising events for arts organizations only.
• Non-dependency for ongoing projects: Council funds are not intended to be used as the sole source of funding for artists or organizations with ongoing projects (e.g. annual concerts, annual art exhibits, etc.) Funding for annually recurring applicants or projects will only be considered for three consecutive years and at reduced levels.
• Costs for refreshments and transportation will not be funded
• Requests for Capital Expenditures – Applications to acquire, improve or maintain facilities or equipment used for cultural activities will be reviewed only under the following circumstances: 1) there must be a one-time or special need and long-term public benefit; 2) there must be a 2:1 match of funding (1 part ABCC grant and 2 parts from other sources); 3) applicants must respond to a list of supplemental questions – please contact us for this list. Capital expenses are defined as: items that have a life expectancy of more than three years and a monetary value of more than $500. Examples include equipment, such as lighting or sound equipment, new construction or the renovation of a cultural facility. ** Schools, libraries and religious institutions or organizations are ineligible to apply for capital expenditures.
For complete local guidelines go to www.actonboxboroughculturalcouncil.org. Please review guidelines thoroughly before you submit an application.

Grant Applicants

• Tips for Grant Applicants
• LCC Grant Application (PDF, 20 KB)
• PASS Grant Application (PDF, 35 KB)

Grant Recipients

• LCC Reimbursement Form
• Credit and Publicity Kit for LCC and PASS Grant Recipients
• Download an MCC Credit Logo

FY 2010

Name	Project	Discipline	Amount
Acton Chinese Language School	2009 Acton Chinese Music Night	Multidisciplinary	$600
Acton Community Chorus, Inc.	Winter / Spring Concert	Music	$200
Applefield, Janet	Combating Hate and Prejudice	Humanities	$200
Clark, Richard	Life,Language&the Pursuit of Happiness-Ernest Hemmingway	Theater	$250
Commonwealth Ballet Company	2010 Little Night Dancing Performance RJ Grey	Dance	$350
Conant School	Eric Carle's Mr. Seahorse	Multidisciplinary	$300
Concord Women's Chorus, Inc	American Women of Note	Music	$200
Contemporary Arts International, Inc	CAI Grand Opening Events	Multidisciplinary	$400
Fitchburg Art Museum	75th Regional Exhibition of Arts and Crafts	Multidisciplinary	$100
Frank, Wendy	Music Enrichment for Special Needs Children	Music	$250
Gates Elementary School	Museum of Fine Arts	Folk Arts	$200
Gates PTO	Amazing Hero Art	Multidisciplinary	$200
Harvard Pro Musica	Concert Series 2010	Music	$150
Hudson Area Arts Alliance	Creative Opportunities for Audiences and Participants	Multidisciplinary	$100
Indian Hill Music	Justin Meyer Swing Trio @ Friends of Boxborough COA	Music	$300
Li, Rixin	Peabody Essex Museum	Visual Arts	$150
Marble Collection, Inc	The Marble Collection	Literature	$100
Merriam School Community Fund	What's the Story Multicultural Stories Performance	Storytelling	$250
Potter, Linda	Our Town Photographic Gallery Exhibit	Photography	$300
Robert Creeley Foundation, Inc	10th Annual Creeley Poetry Award	Literature	$400
Sargent Memorial Library	Two Old Friends Songs from Ireland, The Mountain and the Sea	Music	$240
Sargent Memorial Library	Earth Rhythms Stories and Songs for the Whole Earth	Music	$250
Sounds of Stow	2009/2010 Concert Season	Music	$200
Srishti-The Creation Dance Group	Sarvam Shivam Rhythm of Life	Dance	$400
Starz N Lightz, Inc.	Footloose with Starz-N-Lightz, Inc.	Theater	$153
The Discovery Museums, Inc.	SMART (Science-Math-ART) Gals Family Night	Multidisciplinary	$150
Theatre III, Inc.	Living History Performers during Spring Thoreau Show	Theater	$150
Wild Apples, Inc.	Wild Apples Spring Issue 2010	Multidisciplinary	$200