Cultural Council Awarded State Grant

A recent state grant will help support a variety of cultural activities in North Reading.

House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr. (R-North Reading) and Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester), in conjunction with the Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC), announced on Thursday that the North Reading Cultural Council was awarded a $4,700 grant through MCC’s FY2016 Local Cultural Council Program.

The North Reading Cultural Council, under the direction of Chairwoman Stephanie Baker, will use this money to support cultural activities for North Reading residents. The local cultural council is one of 329 volunteer organizations throughout the state that promote community-based programs focused on the arts, humanities, and sciences.

“The North Reading Cultural Council does a tremendous job supporting the arts and bringing quality cultural programming directly to the town’s residents,” said Jones. “This grant will help to further the council’s efforts to promote a variety of programs and activities for all ages in the community.”

“The arts contribute not only to our quality of life, they are also an important engine for economic activity and growth,” said Tarr. “Fortunately, North Reading has local leaders on the Cultural Council who bring those benefits to the town, and the state is making a sound investment in their efforts.”

More than $12 million in grants will be distributed by MCC this fall as part of its statewide funding program, with $3 million of these grants going to local cultural councils around the state. Comprised of more than 2,300 volunteers, these local cultural councils help support local arts and history, fund school field trips, and sponsor local concerts and exhibitions.

For more information about MCC, please visit www.massculturalcouncil.org.