The Wellesley Cultural Council is part of a network of 329 local cultural councils which provide cultural programming to all 351 cities and towns in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Funding for these local cultural councils comes from an annual appropriation from the state legislature to the Massachusetts Cultural Council, which then distributes those funds to its local cultural councils.
The WCC is made up of 13 members, each of whom serves a renewable 3-year term. Their primary duty is to read and assess grant applications submitted by artists and educators for events or programs to benefit Wellesley residents. Typically, grant applications are received by mid-October, a meeting to assess them occurs in November, and most duties of Council members are complete by December.
The Wellesley Cultural Council members are appointed by the Select Board.
The Wellesley Cultural Council accepts applications annually from artists, educators, performers and organizations for community-oriented programs that will enrich the cultural life of the residents of Wellesley. Applicants may request funding for programs in the arts, humanities, and sciences, including (but not limited to) performances, lectures, workshops, exhibits, and festivals.
Fun fact: Mrs. Swellesley was a 2016 recipient of a Wellesley Cultural Council grant. She called her project “Wellesley Dump Art.”
FY 2024 funding list
- Motoko Dworkin, Japanese Folktales & Origami for Families, $550
- Sean Fullerton, Creeque Alley: A Tribute to American Folk Music and 1960’s Folk Rock, $350
- Ruth Harcovitz, The Sound of Music in Song & Story, $250
- Laura Robert, Artist Talks and Maker Sessions $1,000
- Science & Engineering Education Development, Forensic Science Fingerprinting, $495
- Unitarian Universalist Society of Wellesley Hills, Messiah Sing for the Wellesley Community, $1,000
- Wellesley Celebrations Committee, Wellesley Veterans’ Parade and Wellesley’s Wonderful Weekend, $1,500
- Wellesley Choral Society, The Old and the New: Beethoven and Whalen, $1,075
- Wellesley Society of Artists, Art & Wellness through VTS and Zentangle, $1,200
- Wellesley Symphony Orchestra, 2023-24 Season, $1,000
- Wellesley Town Band, Exploring Contemporary Works for Wind Band, $1,200
- Ed the Wizard, STEM Aerodynamic Workshop, $450
- Ed the Wizard, Magic for Seniors, $300
FY2023 funding list
- Henry Lappen, Henry the Juggler, performance, $400
- John A. Root, Ice Magic, $350
- Wellesley Chamber Players, $1,000
- Wellesley Choral Society, $950
- Wellesley Society of Artists, $1,000
- Wellesley Symphony Orchestra, $1,000
For more information email Nora Tracy Phillips at wellesleyculturalcouncil@gmail.com
