Cultural Grants
The Amesbury Cultural Council solicits grant requests, selects recipients, and awards funds made available annually from the Massachusetts Cultural Council for artistic and cultural projects and programs in and around Amesbury.
The 2023 Grant Cycle opens on September 1st, 2022.
Grant applications close October 17th, 2022.
All applications must be submitted online through the MCC's SmartSimple system.
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WHAT DO WE FUND?
Applicants may apply to the ACC for funding for projects in the arts, humanities, and interpretive sciences.
Arts: The creation, presentation, or preservation of work in the crafts and performing, visual, media, folk, design, literary, and interdisciplinary arts.
Humanities: Learning that deals 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.
Sciences: Learning that deals with nature, science, and technology in ways that explain how they relate to people’s lives. Organizations that conduct this type of activity include aquariums, botanical gardens, nature centers, natural history museums, planetariums, and science centers.
For our 2023 grant cycle, the Amesbury Cultural Council will prioritize applications that possess the following qualities:
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Partnerships between artists + local businesses or organizations
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Cross-generational projects or events
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Projects that contribute to downtown/neighborhood revitalization (i.e. public art, public space activation, placemaking, etc.)
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Live performances with a wide, general-interest audience
Applicants must be able to articulate how their project will directly benefit the Amesbury community.
Preference will be given to Amesbury residents and organizations, though consideration will extend to neighboring towns and cities including Newburyport, Salisbury, Newbury, Byfield, Rowley, West Newbury, Merrimac, and Haverhill.
ACC Guidelines
Applicants must submit their online application by October 17th, 2022, 11:59pm. Late applications cannot be accepted.
ACC grants are awarded on a reimbursement basis only.
Applicants must be residents of Massachusetts.
Applicants may apply for grants for programs that will take place during an 18-month window of eligibility: between July 1, 2022 and December 31, 2023.
Applicants may apply for projects that happen prior to their Local Cultural Councils’ grant announcements, with the knowledge that funding is not guaranteed.
If applicants are partnering with an organization/location host for their project, they must include a letter of support from that partner (i.e., if the intended location is the library or Council on Aging).
Applicants seeking funding for events must provide exact dates, along with confirmation/approval from the location host (if applicable).
Applicants can be:
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Individuals
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Nonprofits
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Public & nonprofit schools
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Unincorporated associations that can establish a nonprofit objective / a group of individuals coming together with a common purpose (e.g., local community band, theater group, etc.)
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Libraries
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Other municipal agencies
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Religious organizations for funding of cultural programming that is available to the general public (LCCs can only approve applications that are primarily cultural in their intent and do not have the effect of advancing religion.)
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The ACC itself
Acceptable uses for funding:
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One-off projects or events
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Operating support
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Ticket subsidy programs
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Artist residencies
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Field trips
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Fellowships
Funding restrictions:
Applicants may not use ACC grant funds for:
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Refreshments
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Scholarships (An organization may apply to sponsor a scholarship provided it shows evidence of an open and fair review and award process.)
The 2023 Grant Cycle opens on September 1st, 2022.
Grant applications close October 17th, 2022.
All applications must be submitted online through the MCC's SmartSimple system.
2022 Grant Recipients
GRANT PROJECT | ORGANIZATION/NAME
AMESBURY
Amesbury Mosaic Rock | Su Bailey
Aperture on Amesbury 2022 | Amesbury Carriage Museum, Inc.
Chainsaws, Cheeseburgers and Rock N' Roll – Live! | Jesse M. Green
Community Coloring Books | Susan L. Smith
Edwardian Holiday Tea | Rita Parisi
Family Day - Spring 2022 | Amesbury Carriage Museum, Inc.
Flair in the Square | Amesbury Chamber of Commerce & Industrial Foundation, Inc.
Hip Hop Dance Chair Exercise for Seniors! | MUSIC Dance.edu
Jumpin' Juba senior concert | Steven M. Hurlbut
Kids Jam with Toe Jam Puppet Band | City of Amesbury
Nature in your neighborhood - All about birds | Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary
Nun Of This and Nun of That! | The Delvena Theatre Company
Painted Murals on Library Walls | Amesbury Public Library
NEWBURY
Newbury Town Day Welcome Center | Robin Lawson
NEWBURYPORT
2022 Spring Panto | OnStage, Inc.
Hillyer Festival Orchestra Brings Opera and Broadway Hits to MAC | Maudslay Arts Center, Inc.
Newburyport Chamber Music Summer Festival 2022 | Newburyport Chamber Music Festival, Inc.
NCS Spring Concert 2022 – Remembrance and Renewal | Newburyport Choral Society, Inc.
Newburyport Documentary Film Festival | Newburyport Film Festival, Inc.
Newburyport Lantern Festival 2022 | Greater Newburyport Ovarian Cancer Awareness
Newburyport Literary Festival | The Newburyport Literary Festival
Outdoor Sculpture at Maudslay 2022 | Open Air Sculpture
SALISBURY
Salisbury Day - Music | Town of Salisbury
View a flyer of all our recipients here!
For Grant Recipients
Things to remember:
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Grants are made on a reimbursement basis only. Please submit your reimbursement request within one year of your award notification.
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Project modifications or extensions must be requested in writing and should not significantly alter the original purpose.
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Funding may not be used for capital purchases or for food and beverages.
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You are required to acknowledge the financial support of the Amesbury Cultural Council and the Massachusetts Cultural Council in published materials and announcements about your project. Complete credit & publicity requirements can be found in Credit & Publicity Kit on the MCC website.
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The Amesbury Cultural Council and Massachusetts Cultural Council logos required for credit can be found here.
When your project is complete:
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Download a copy of the reimbursement form to submit for payment, along with invoices or receipts that demonstrate how the funds are used.
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Fill out a W9 to submit. Keep our award letter and check stub as a record of the award for your taxes.
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Include marketing pieces or communication that demonstrate that you have appropriately credited ACC and MCC.
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All materials should be sent to:
Amesbury City Hall
attn: Amesbury Cultural Council
62 Friend Street
Amesbury, MA 01913