Cultural Council announces grant recipients
By Ken Powers Community Reporter

Westborough - A dozen programs that will culturally enhance their attendees will be held in 2008 in Westborough as a result of grants awarded by the Westborough Cultural Council.

"Every program that qualified received a grant of some amount," Cultural Council Chair Lynn Watts said. "We were able to help fund more programs this year than we did last, but we'd still like to have more groups and individuals apply for grants."

In all, more than $6,000 was distributed, in amounts that ranged between $250 and $1,000. The grant recipients will be recognized at a public reception at Tatnuck Bookseller, Gift Gallery and Café on Lyman Street Tuesday Jan. 15 at 7 p.m.

"We were able to fund some of the requests fully," Watts said, "while with others the grant only covered a portion of the cost of the program. The grant is supposed to help enhance the event. It's not meant to the be the only thing they have."

Watts said the council also received a number of applications from prospective grant recipients who didn't qualify.

"There are several stipulations in the grant that have to be met," Watts said. "It [the program] has to be advertised in advance, it has to be open to the public, where it's held has to be handicapped-accessible, stuff like that. In addition, it has to be something that sounds interesting, something that people will attend.

"But the big one, the one that's sure to disqualify it if it's not met, is, in my opinion, a pretty basic one - it has to be held in Westborough," Watts said. "We think it just has to be that way because it's money that we have in Westborough as a result of state, local and donated funds. We think providing these grants is a way to return those funds to the town and its people."

Watts said she had a request from a museum director in Westwood for a grant so he could open his museum on weekends. Another request came from a magician who was happy to put the program on in Westborough, but wanted the Cultural Council to find him a venue.

"It's great that the guy's willing to open his museum in Westwood, but what good is that doing us up here in Westborough?" Watts said. "And as for the magician, there's plenty of places in town - schools, churches, public buildings - that would be happy to host a magic show. Go find one."

Grant recipients this year include: Assabet Valley Mastersingers; Audio Journal; Westborough Community Chorus; Westborough Community Land Trust Earth Day 2008; Westborough Players' Club for "Seussical the Musical"; Women of Note, Keeping Harmony Alive in the Barbershop Style; and Gregory Maichack, The Art of Pastel II: The da Vinci Mode.

In addition, funding was awarded to: Maryan Pietropaolo, Vivaldi Cello Concerto Concert; John Root, Popular Music of the Gaslight Era; Symphony Pro Musica, Beethoven's 9th Symphony, premiere of " Rhapsody for Orchestra;" Richard Clark as Mark Twain; and Jennifer and Colin White, Coolhead Luke and other stories.

"Symphony Pro Musica's event is very exciting," Watts said. "Rhapsody for Orchestra was written by Westborough's own Michael Schachter. This will be its world premiere."