The Hopkinton Cultural Council recently announced its grant award recipients, with 11 local organizations receiving full or partial funding for their endeavors.

“We saw a large increase in the number of applications this year so we were only able to fund a small number of them with our limited funds,” council chair Sterling Worrell said.

“We feel like the grants that we did award are of high quality and will benefit the Hopkinton community in rich and diverse ways.”

The grants were awarded to:

• Brown Box Theatre Project (free summer Shakespeare) at the Hopkinton Center for the Arts;
• Sunset Jazz Series at the Hopkinton Center for the Arts;
• Hopkinton Garden Club Speaker Series;
• HSS Jazz Ensemble clinicians;
• Cultural Crates (Elmwood School Diversity);
• Protecting and preserving Hopkinton’s indigenous ceremonial stone landscape to be presented at the Hopkinton Public Library;
• A tribute to women composers from around the world to be performed at the Hopkinton Public Library;
• Hopkinton Community Summer Band sponsored by the Hopkinton Music Association, with concert taking place on the Hopkinton Common;
• 1940s USO tribute show presented by Enter Stage Left and performed at the Hopkinton Center for the Arts;
• Fitch Family Collection exhibition and speakers series;
• Acoustic concert for seniors to be performed at the Hopkinton Senior Center.

The HCC will host a reception in honor of its 2019 grant award recipients in the function room at Ko’s Restaurant on April 2 at 6:30 p.m. The event is by invitation and free to invited guests, with light refreshments and a cash bar.

“This is a chance to honor the work of artists and arts organizations in the Hopkinton area,” Worrell said. “We are particularly excited about the range and quality of the funded projects this year and the increased number of applicants that reflects the growing interests in the arts in our community. Each project was chosen because of its substantial public benefit for the residents of Hopkinton.”

Added State Rep. Carolyn Dykema: “Arts and culture are an important part of what makes our community vibrant. I am proud to support the Hopkinton Cultural Council and its outstanding grant recipients.”

The Hopkinton Cultural Council is part of a network of 329 local cultural councils (LCC) serving all 351 cities and towns in the Commonwealth. The LCC program is the largest grassroots cultural funding network in the nation, supporting thousands of community-based projects in the arts, sciences and humanities every year. The state legislature provides an annual appropriation to the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency, which then allocates funds to each community.

The Hopkinton Cultural Council will seek applications again in the fall. Information and forms are available online at www.massculturalcouncil.org or via email at culturalchair@hopkinton.gov.

For more information about the grant reception, contact HCC member Rick Jacobs at olddrj@gmail.com.

HCA receives state grant

The Hopkinton Center for the Arts was award a two-year grant worth $3,000 from the Mass. Cultural Council through its Cultural Investment Portfolio Gateway program. This program provides general operating support and project grants to nonprofit organizations with public programs in the arts, sciences and humanities across the state.

The Hopkinton Center for the Arts — which offers numerous programs, including art classes for youngsters — was the recipient of grants from both the Hopkinton Cultural Council as well as the Mass. Cultural Council.

The MCC CIP Gateway grant funds are to support the HCA’s organizational goals and to maintain ongoing programs, services, and facilities.

Selection for the Gateway program is highly competitive. Applicants are scored on criteria of public value and organizational capacity and sustainability, and applications are accepted only every other year. Demand to participate is high because, in addition to the financial support, the Gateway is the on-ramp (after four years), to CIP and its larger, formula-based unrestricted operating support grants.

“I loved the arts as a child and continue to love them as an adult. Public support of the arts enriches lives by providing access to arts education and culture, fostering connection within the community,” said State Rep. Carolyn Dykema. “The HCA is critical to providing access to these programs in Hopkinton and the region.”

The CIP grant will allow the HCA to continue its mission of bringing arts education to Boston’s Metrowest communities. In 2018, HCA educational programs served more than 2,000 students and provided opportunities for study in the creative arts for students with disabilities and those in need of financial assistance through its scholarship program. The HCA has positioned itself as a leading center for the arts in Massachusetts through performing and visual arts events such as free Shakespeare in the summer, art exhibits and talks by Massachusetts artists, local band series, a cultural series, and its children’s entertainment series.

“The support we receive from the Mass. Cultural Council goes beyond the financial support,” said HCA director Kelly Grill. “We wouldn’t be here today without their guidance and help. The grant is an affirmation that they are aware of the work and quality arts programming we provide to our corner of the Metrowest.”