Natick Cultural Council grant applications due Oct. 17

September 25, 2023 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

The deadline is Oct. 17, 2023, to apply to the Natick Cultural Council for a grant to present programs in the arts, humanities, or sciences for the cultural benefit of the people of Natick.

The mission of the Natick Cultural Council is to promote excellence, education, and diversity in the arts, humanities and interpretative sciences to improve the quality of life for Natick residents. The Council awards grants based on the cultural needs of the community, as assessed by Council members with input from the community.

What's In Your Heart? Natick art — Natick resident Denise Giardin put in an application last year to fund the What’s in Your Heart, Natick? outdoor art project. The Council allocated $800 to the community-based initiative. Over 1,900 people fell in love with the idea, painting 2,087 4 x 4″ wooden hearts with the distilled version of what was most important to them.

The fiscal year 2024 grants allotment for Natick is $14,300. Last year’s funded programs included What’s in Your Heart, Natick?; a new mural at Lilja School; SPARK Kindness Week; and more. See the entire list here.

The grants program operates under the umbrella of the Mass Cultural Council, which funds and manages a network of 329 Local Cultural Councils (LCCs) across the state, representing every city and town in the Commonwealth. Each council awards money based on individual community cultural needs, assessed and set by LCC members. Applicants apply directly to local councils.

More arts information

Festivals & Projects
Grants of $2,500 for organizations to fund public activities that incorporate the arts, humanities, or sciences.

New in 2024: Grants for Creative Individuals
This program aims to equitably advance creative expression throughout the Commonwealth with unrestricted grants to Massachusetts artists, culture bearers, and creative individuals. Grants are $5,000.

Programs, A-Z

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Photographers: Time to submit your best for Old Town Calendar

September 24, 2023 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

The annual Old Town Calendar photo competition is on, with registration open to photographers of all levels through Oct. 15.

Now in its 18th year, the competition invites photographers to share pictures of sights from Natick, Dover, Needham, Sherborn, and Wellesley.

Photos will be displayed and judged at the Eliot Church (45 Eliot St.) in Natick on Oct. 22, during Natick Artists Open Studios Weekend.

The 2024 calendar is available for $20.

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Walk this way for a cultural experience on the Cochituate Rail Trail

September 19, 2023 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

The Cochituate Rail Trail is the site of a temporary art installation put together by Studios Without Walls, a Brookline-based artists’ collaborative that produces exhibitions in outdoor and public settings. The half-mile stretch between the Cochituate State Park spur and the Amvets building has been transformed into free pop-up “museum” of 12 sculptures created by 15 artists. Self guided tours, art treasure hunt, and maps of the exhibition are available daily through Oct. 15.

The path is still open to cyclists and walkers, but now there’s a little culture thrown into the rail trail experience. Yes, taking the kids to the exhibit counts as a museum visit. The usual rules of “no touching the artwork” apply. The rules about no running/biking/yelling in the “museum” do not.

Here are some pics of our recent spin on the trail:

Honoring, by Anna Kristina Goransson

Cochituate Rail Trail, Natick — Honoring, by Anna Kristina Goransson. Made with wool, wood, and paracord. In the artist’s statement, Gorannson says the piece is “a reminder of the senseless deaths of children,” as a result of gun violence that included the 50 school shootings in 2022.

Disco Bebob, by Stacey Piwinski and Rebecca McGee Tuck

Cochituate Rail Trail, art, Natick — Disco Bebob, by Stacey Piwinski and Rebecca McGee Tuck. Made with repurposed plastic jewels, yarn, and found objects. Natick resident Rebecca McGee’s work is familiar to many in town. She frequently exhibits at the Morse Institute Library, but McGee doesn’t confine herself to the immediate area. During a recent roadtrip to Newburyport, we immediately recognized her signature “reduce, reuse, repurpose, recycle” style in a gallery in the seaside town. Co-artist Stacey Piwinski also works with found objects, making the artistic collaborative a true meeting of the minds. We like the placement of the artwork, with the Yield sign in evidence, upper left. Most appropriate, given that in the artists’ work, they continuously remind viewers to give way to nature before we destroy it.

Synergy, Barbara Fletcher

Found art, by Nature

Studios Without Walls is made possible thought grants from the MA Cultural Council and the generosity of Natick Center Cultural District, Friends of Natick Trails, Cochituate Rail Trail, and other donors.

Cochituate Rail Trail in Natick readies for art, accessible/adaptive cycling

September 3, 2023 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

Natick organizers this month will follow through with a couple of Cochituate Rail Trail programs previously discussed publicly: a sculpture exhibit and availability of accessible/adaptive cycles.

Public art on the trail

The art exhibit, from artists with Studios Without Walls, was originally planned for last fall, but now will be on display this Sept. 9-Oct. 15, between Chrysler Road near Home Depot and Amvets Post 79. Parking for visitors to the exhibit has been approved by Amvets on Superior Drive.

You can breeze by the sculptures, opt for a slower self-guided tour, or partake in an art treasure hunt. Maps will be available on the trail near the exhibit.

Download (PDF, 477KB)

Accessible/adaptive cycling event

The town of Natick is partnering with the Friends of Natick Trails and non-profit All Out Adventures to bring accessible/adaptive cycling to the rail trail for those with mobility challenges. Learn more or register as a participant or volunteer. This event will be held on Saturday, Sept. 30 (rain date Oct. 1) at the Mechanic Street parking lot.

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Natick Cultural Council fielding grant-worthy ideas

September 1, 2023 by Bob Brown 1 Comment

The Natick Cultural Council is accepting proposals for community-oriented arts, humanities, and science programs until Oct. 17.

Projects and activities can be in-person or virtual, and past grants have been given for public art, festivals, performances, and more. Preference will be given to Natick-based applicants.

The “What’s in your Heart? Natick” display in Natick Center and a mural at Lilja Elementary School were among 2023 grant recipients.

The past round of awards totaled more than $14,000, and ranged in size from $200 to more than $2,100. Funds come from the Massachusetts Cultural Council, which allocates money to communities and is hosting an online information session on Sept. 12 at 6pm. Registration is open.