The Andover Cultural Council is pumping more than $4,600 into town cultural programs this year to support a range of activities including public concerts, live theater, dance and storytelling.
“Our constant aim is to support programs of excellence that reach all sectors of the community,” said Leslie Seaton Malis and Judith Farzan, council co-chairs. “We had over 30 applications this year, and the decision process was extremely difficult. But we’re very excited about the projects this year’s grants will help fund. There’s real diversity both in terms of genre, and audience appeal; events for families, children, seniors, and the general public.”
The group is awarding 5 grants totaling $4,654.
The Andover Cultural Council is part of a network of 329 councils serving all of Massachusetts. This network describes itself as “the largest grassroots cultural funding program in the nation, supporting thousands of community-based projects in the arts, sciences and humanities every year.”
The state legislature provides the annual appropriation to the Massachusetts Cultural Council, which in turn, allocates funds to each community, and state Sen. Barry Finegold joined the local council in announcing the grants.
“It’s great to see our local arts groups receive this much needed funding. Everyone benefits from a lively artistic culture, especially young people who will be exposed to new and different things thanks to the Andover Cultural Council,” said Finegold in a release.
The recipients will be honored at a reception in April at the Addison Gallery on the campus of Phillips Academy.
CULTURE CLUB
Andover grant recipients and programs supported by the Andover Cultural Council are:
AYS TheatreWorks, new youth theater program ($449)
Andover Senior Center, Irish heritage musical program ($200)
Bates & Tincknell, Earth Rhythms song & story presentation at Memorial Hall Library ($350)
Richard Clark, Shakespeare’s Greatest Hits at Andover Senior Center ($275)
Dance Prism, Nutcracker performing opportunities for Andover dancers ($200)
Doherty Middle School, A Midsummer Night’s Dream ($300)
Sandra Dukeshire, individual artist development in glassblowing ($300)
Greater Lawrence Educational Collaborative, local student participation in Appleseed, Applesauce, and ApplePi publications ($100)
Ruth Harcovitz, Rodgers & Hammerstein program at Memorial Hall Library ($180)
Steve Hurlbut, Jumpin Juba concert at Memorial Hall Library ($250)
Sally Matson, Margaret Bourke-White at Memorial Hall Library ($400)
Nicolette Nordin Heavey, Stories at Play at Shawsheen Preschool ($600)
Rogers Center for the Arts, Aquila Theatre Company’s Farenheit 451 ($200)
Treble Chorus of New England, Music of the Americas concert ($150)
West Elementary School, Bamidele Dancers & Drummers ($450)
Wood Hill Middle School, Bamidele Drummers & Dancers ($250)
