Cultural Council

Meetings

• 7 p.m.
• Third Tuesday of each month
• City Hall
  59 Court Street
  Westfield, MA 01085

Agendas & Minutes 

Agendas are available prior to the meetings.
Most Recent Agenda | View All Agendas & Minutes

Members

What types of Grants are Given?

Local council funds may only be used to support programs in the arts, humanities, and interpretive sciences in Massachusetts. This definition includes the study, pursuit, performance, exhibition, and appreciation of cultural activities in the broadest sense.

How does Massachusetts Cultural Council define the arts, humanities, and/or interpretive sciences?

• Arts refer to the creation of work in the crafts and performing, visual, media, folk, design, literary, and inter-disciplinary arts. In addition, they also include the presentation and preservation of, and education about works in these disciplines.
  
  
• Humanities are types of learning that deal with human values and aspirations, human thought and culture, language, and creativity. Examples include, but are not limited to, history, social studies, philosophy, criticism, and literature.
  
  
• Interpretive sciences are types of learning that deal with nature, science, and technology in ways that explain how they relate to people’s lives. Some organizations that conduct this type of activity include aquariums, botanical gardens, nature centers, natural history museums, planetariums, and science centers.

Public Benefit

Local council funds must be used to support activities that contribute to the cultural vitality of the community as a whole, rather than benefiting any private individual or group. However, this does not mean that a large crowd of people needs to participate in order to satisfy the public benefit requirement. For example, an artist working with a small group of teens is a valid public benefit. Whenever possible, activities funded by local councils should be available to the general public by exhibit, performance, demonstration, reading, or other means.

Funding Priority

Funding Priority is given to quality community wide programs. Collaborative projects between cultural groups and community organizations are encouraged and given a higher priority. No field trip grants will be considered.

How to Apply?

The Councils annual grant cycle starts as of September 1st with a deadline of October 15th.  All applicants must apply online.  No hard copy applications will be accepted. Download the Grant Application.

Requirements & Restrictions

• All events must take place in Westfield.
  
  
• Applications must include plans to acknowledge the Westfield Cultural Council (WCC) as a source of funding in ALL printed materials related to each event. Failure to do so may compromise future grant funding for an organization. Reimbursements requests must include the copies of the publicity containing acknowledgment.
  
  
• First priority will be given to grants written by organizations. Grants written by artists and supported by organizations will be considered when (and only when) the event has a definite venue and date.
  
  
• Applicants may be requested to attend a meeting of the Westfield Cultural Council before funding is granted.
  
  
• Every year, the WCC is required by the State to do a "Satisfaction Survey." All recipients are expected to participate in this survey so that the WCC can learn how to better serve arts organizations and the community.
  
  
• Any change to any funded event, including a change of date, purpose of the event, change in artists or venue must be submitted in writing to the Westfield Cultural Council two (2) months before the event. The WCC will consider the changes and vote before providing the grant funds for disbursement.
  
  
• All grant requests must follow the MACC and WCC Program Guidelines to be considered for funding.