Published February 6, 2020
MELROSE — The Melrose Cultural Council announces the award of 21 local Cultural Council grants totaling $12,400 for events and programs that will take place in Melrose during 2020. Thirty-four applications were submitted. The deadline for submission was October 15, 2019.
Grants have been awarded to first time applicants and long-established arts organizations. Free and ticketed events are scheduled in Memorial Hall, the Melrose Public Library, the Milano Senior Center, schools, leased and loaned spaces in church halls, at the new Main Street Follow Your Art Community Studios (FYACS), in neighborhood driveways and porches, local galleries and home studio-workshops. All of these arts and cultural programs are open to the public and designed to bring people together, reaching a cross-section of the community from preschool children to senior citizens.
Grant Recipients for 2020:
Milano Senior Center’s “Bon Appetit, Julia!, by Delvena Theatre Company;” Beethoven Society of Melrose’s concert “Works of Gilbert and Sullivan;” Temple Beth Shalom’s “Keeping Jazz Alive” jazz performance; Roosevelt Elementary School PTO’s production of “Frozen Jr;” Polymnia Choral Society’s production of “Rocket Man” the music of Elton John and Bernie Taupin at Memorial Hall; History at Play’s “I Now Pronounce You Lucy Stone,” at the Melrose Public Library; and Stoneham’s Greater Boston Stage Company’s subsidized ticket program for Melrose seniors and students.
Also, the city-wide Melrose Porchfest 2020; Owen Parr and Ben Pfeiffer “Spring Fling Intergenerational Dance” at Memorial Hall; Denise Doucette’s Musical Program for Seniors at the Milano Center; Franklin School’s presentation of “All Hands Drumming;” a professional orchestra for Melrose Drama’s spring musical production; the Melrose Symphony Orchestra’s May Pops concert “Music from the Golden Age of Hollywood;” Follow Your Art Community Studios’ weekend celebration, “Art on the Equinox;” “Look What’s Happening Melrose” online event calendar for the city; Melrose Arts “Monthly Art Demonstrations,” at the Milano Center; “MOST/Melrose Open Studio Tour” a city-wide tour of home studios, workspaces and galleries; Melrose Human Rights Commission’s “The MLK Day of Service and Community Celebration;” “In Real Life: A Melrose Story Hour” by Melrose Organizes for Real Equality (MORE); North Suburban Child & Family Resource Network’s presentation “Lindsay’s Puppet Pals Family Show;” and writer Sandra Elaine Scott’s “Everybody Has a Story: Memoir Writing Workshop” at FYACS.
The Melrose Cultural Council is part of a statewide network supporting community-based projects in the arts, humanities and interpretive sciences. The Massachusetts legislature appropriates funds from the state budget for the Massachusetts Cultural Council, which allocates funds to council affiliates in each city and town in the state. Eligible projects must demonstrate that they have community benefit, are accessible, and have other sources of funding.
Grant awards are decided by a board of local volunteers who live or work in the community. Current council members are Eileen Christiansen, Jason Webb, Arleen Frasca, Luke Miller, Martina Tramontozzi, Chiara Pieri, Eric Heath, Diane Wall, Jeff Winey, Kristin Foote and Adrienne Wood. If you are interested in joining the board in the future, please email us at melrosecultural@gmail.com .
To learn more about grant eligibility guidelines and tips for preparing your application, email melrosecultural@gmail.com, or visit www.melroseculture.org. The council welcomes inquiries, especially from first time applicants. Applications open online September 1. The next deadline for submission is October 15.
Keep up with grant announcements, sponsored local events and more by following the Melrose Cultural Council’s Facebook page. Click “Follow”. To stay up to date with all events happening in Melrose, subscribe to or to submit your own event, see “Look What’s Happening Melrose” online event calendar, www.lookwhatshappening.org.