Call for applications for Boston Cultural Council Organizational Grants

As many of you know, when Mayor Walsh first took office, the Boston Cultural Council (BCC) was simply passing on the dollars allocated by the Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC). Over the past three years since taking office, Mayor Walsh has continually shown his support for the arts community by increasing the BCC budget allocation every year. This year we will award more than $450,000 to organizations and projects in Boston that enhance the quality of life, the economy, the design of the city and help to realize the goals of the Boston Creates Cultural Plan.

We have some exciting changes to our application this year, so for those of you who are familiar with our traditional applications, please be sure you take note of the changes. Both the MCC and the BCC applications have moved online! Organizations with annual budgets under $1 million will only complete the BCC application, and organizations with budgets over $1 million will complete a short application on the BCC site, and then complete their application on the MCC site. It should be a seamless and painless process.

Grants this year will be made in two categories based on budget size and location:

• Organizations with a budget of under $1 million who are located in the City of Boston may only apply for general operating support. Organizations in this budget category that are located outside of the City of Boston, but who offer programs in the City may only apply for program specific support.
• Organizations with annual budgets of $1 million and above that are located in the City of Boston may apply only for project specific support.

What makes a successful application? Consider the goals of the Boston Creates Cultural Plan. Successful applications will be specific about how they help to grow access to the arts in areas not already well served by cultural opportunities, foster access to the arts for populations who don’t typically have ready access to the arts, elevate the work of Boston’s creatives, inspire the creation of new works, and support the achievement and provision of excellent, high quality arts and culture in the City of Boston.

Last year, 177 organizations supporting arts and culture across the City of Boston were awarded grants totaling $428,650 by the Boston Cultural Council. We expect to grant even more this year.

We’ll be holding grant workshops and webinars to explain the process later this month and in early October. The dates for these sessions will be posted on the Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture web site and the Boston Cultural Council site as soon as they are scheduled. Applications will be accepted until October 17, 2016, at 5 p.m.

The BCC accepts applications each fall, which are then evaluated by BCC council members based on their benefits to the city and its residents. Recently, due to the generous support of Mayor Walsh, the BCC has also expanded to offer a smaller, monthly grant, the Opportunity Fund, and will be offering a fellowship grant program for artists in the spring. In addition to our grant opportunities, we are also accepting applications for council members and we hope that you will consider applying or spreading the word to those who may be interested.