[DAC] the mcc folks asked me to pass this along

[Joyce Linehan]

The Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC) and Massachusetts Advocates for
Arts, Sciences, and Humanities (MAASH) will celebrate MCC's most recent
state grant awards in Boston Tuesday, October 17 at the Federated Dorchester
Neighborhood Houses. Led by Senator Jack Hart of Boston, Senate Chair of the
Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts, and Cultural Development, the event will
highlight the importance of arts and culture to education, youth
development, and community vitality. It is part of National Arts and
Humanities Month, a nationwide celebration of culture in America. 
 
This event will celebrate the achievements of Federated and its young
artists, and the hundreds of other organizations, schools, and communities
receiving these new grant awards. The event begins at 4 p.m. at 18 Samoset
Street, Dorchester. (For more on National Arts and Humanities Month see
www.americansforthearts.org <BLOCKED::http://www.americansforthearts.org> ) 
 
 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 20, 2006

Contact: Gregory <BLOCKED::mailto:greg.liakos at art.state.ma.us>  Liakos,
Communications Director 617-727-3668 x343 or
Erin <BLOCKED::mailto:erin.haran at art.state.ma.us>  Haran, Communications
Coordinator 617-727-3668 x268 
New Cultural Funding Supports Creativity, Community, & Youth 
Mass. Cultural Council Releases more than $8.2 Million for Arts & Culture 
The Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC) today announced more than $8.2
million in new funding for organizations, communities, and schools across
the Commonwealth. These grants support arts and culture in public education,
stimulate economic activity, and expand access to the arts, humanities, and
sciences in every community in Massachusetts. 
The MCC and the Massachusetts Advocates for Arts, Sciences, and Humanities
(MAASH) will celebrate the grant awards in Boston Tuesday, October 17 at the
Federated Dorchester Neighborhood Houses. Led by Senator Jack Hart of
Boston, Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts, and Cultural
Development, the event will highlight the importance of arts and culture to
education, youth development, and community vitality. It is part of National
Arts and Humanities Month, a nationwide celebration of culture in America. 
In July the Massachusetts Legislature ratified an additional $2.45 million
for the MCC. This significant new infusion of cultural funding brought the
MCC's state appropriation to just over $12 million, allowing the agency to
continue restoring programs that were cut back during the state's fiscal
crisis in 2002. 
"The Legislature's strong support for arts and culture this year allows us
to invest more resources in our core programs for organizations, local
cultural councils, and arts education," says Mary Kelley, MCC's Executive
Director. "These investments will yield positive returns for the
Commonwealth in more vibrant communities, better schools, and a stronger
economy." 
The grants are awarded after a competitive peer review process in the
following programs: 
Organizational
<BLOCKED::http://www.massculturalcouncil.org/programs/os.html>  Support, $4
million 
Organizational Support provides unrestricted operating funds to nearly 400
arts, humanities, and science organizations with track records of
excellence, education, and community service. These organizations allow
Massachusetts children and adults to experience everything from theatre and
music to visual arts and dance, and learn about history and nature, new
languages and cultures. These three-year grants must be matched one to one,
and range from $2,500 to $62,500. 
 <BLOCKED::http://www.massculturalcouncil.org/programs/lccgrants.html> Local
Cultural Council Program (LCC), $2.65 million 
The LCC Program is the most extensive cultural funding system of its kind in
the nation. This grassroots network provides funding to every Massachusetts
city and town through 329 LCCs and 2,500 volunteers. The councils support
projects that explore local arts and history, expand education and
accessibility, and celebrate diversity. This year allocations range from
$4,000 for the smallest towns to roughly $89,000 for Worcester and $160,000
for Boston, according to a formula that reflects the state's local aid
system. 
Education, $866,175 
*	Creative
<BLOCKED::http://www.massculturalcouncil.org/programs/creativeschools.html>
Schools, $415,495 
The Creative Schools program funds schools and districts working to
integrate arts and culture into the curriculum, many in partnership with
cultural organizations and artist-educators. This year the MCC will fund 35
Creative Schools programs with two-year grants. 
*
<BLOCKED::http://www.massculturalcouncil.org/programs/youthreach.html>
YouthReach, $450,680
MCC's nationally renowned YouthReach Initiative supports partnerships
between cultural and community organizations that integrate rigorous
out-of-school arts opportunities for youth at risk of failure because of
poverty, illness, crime, or neglect. The new, two-year grants will fund 36
YouthReach programs across the state. 
Partnerships,
<BLOCKED::http://www.massculturalcouncil.org/about/partners.html>  $647,500 
The MCC funds the New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA), the
Massachusetts Foundation for the Humanities, and VSA Arts of Massachusetts.
The agency partners with Vermont Arts Exchange in the Healing Arts
Initiative, which employs artists in innovative new treatments for patients
living with chronic disabling diseases. And MCC supports a new initiative
called <BLOCKED::http://www.artistlink.org/>  ArtistLink that helps artists,
developers, and municipalities develop space for creative work and living. 
A complete funding list is available online
<BLOCKED::http://www.massculturalcouncil.org/programs/funding.html> . In
2007 MCC will announce its annual Artist Grant recipients, and cultural
economic development projects funded through the Adams Arts Program. 
 
 
*****************************
Joyce Linehan, Ashmont Media/Ashmont Records
10A Burt Street, Dorchester, MA 02124
617-282-2510
Public Relations, Management and Consulting
Current press releases:   <http://www.ashmontmedia.com> www.ashmontmedia.com
 
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