$9.27 Million in New Capital Funds Awarded to Support Mass Cultural Economy
May 16, 2019
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts:
Carmen Plazas, Mass Cultural Council, 617-858-2738
carmen.plazas@art.state.ma.us
Kelsey Schiller, MassDevelopment, 617-330-2011 & 617-694-9695 (cell)
kschiller@Massdevelopment.com
The MassDevelopment Board of Directors has approved $9.27 million in new grants from the Massachusetts Cultural Facilities Fund (CFF), a state program that provides capital and planning grants to nonprofits, colleges, and municipalities that own or operate facilities primarily focused on the arts, humanities, and sciences.
The 2019 Round includes 64 capital grants totaling more than $8.7 million and another 29 planning grants totaling more than $500,000. Grants range from $7,000 to $200,000 and must be matched one-to-one from private and/or other public sources. They include:
- $200,000 to Community Access to the Arts in Great Barrington to create a universally accessible community arts center for artists with disabilities.
- $150,000 for the Town of Marblehead to renovate and restore the Fort Sewall, to draw new visitors to one of the oldest coastal fortifications in the U.S.
- $200,000 for Creative Hub Worcester, the adaptive reuse of a former Boys Club into a multi-use arts center with classroom, studio, exhibition, and performance space.
- $190,000 to the Footlight Club Community Theatre to support accessibility improvements to its home at the historic Eliot Hall in Boston’s Jamaica Plain neighborhood.
“Both residents and visitors benefit greatly from all that Massachusetts’ cultural institutions have to offer,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “Investments in the arts will help support tourism efforts across the Commonwealth and give more people the opportunity to experience its rich cultural history.”
“The Commonwealth is fortunate to serve as the home for top arts, humanities, and sciences organizations,” said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito. “Our administration will continue to support efforts to boost the creative economy in all corners of Massachusetts.”
“We’re proud to co-administer the Cultural Facilities Fund, which supports Massachusetts’ vibrant creative economy by enabling these key community assets to grow and maintain their physical infrastructure,” said MassDevelopment President and CEO Lauren Liss. “We’re grateful to the Baker-Polito Administration and the Legislature for their continued commitment to cultural facilities across the Commonwealth.”