Westborough – The eighth annual Arts In Common will be held on Saturday, Sept. 24, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Bay State Green in Westborough. Created and produced by the Westborough Cultural Council, the event features local performers on its two stages, area artisans selling their hand-made crafts, and foods from several area restaurants. A group of energetic high school volunteers will staff the Kids’ Corner and provide entertainment for younger visitors.
The festival is supported by founding sponsors Richard and Diane Irwin, Roche Bros. Supermarkets, Amica Insurance, Marlborough Savings Bank, and Emseal Corporation. Others sponsors include Central One Federal Credit Union, State Rep. Hannah Kane (R-Shrewsbury), Barbara Cantwell of Ameriprise Financial, and New Hope Chapel. Their generosity makes the festival free to all visitors.
Any proceeds from Arts in Common go towards grants the council awards each year to applicants.
This year’s deadline for grant proposals is Tuesday, Oct. 17. Proposals from organizations, schools, and individuals to apply for grants that support cultural activities, such as
community-oriented arts, humanities, and science programs, are welcome.
According to council spokesperson Cliff Watts, these grants can support a variety of artistic projects and activities in Westborough — including exhibits, festivals, field trips, short-term artist residencies, or performances in schools, workshops, and lectures.
The Westborough Cultural Council is part of a network of 329 Local Cultural Councils serving all 351 cities and towns in the commonwealth. The LCC Program is the largest grassroots cultural funding network in the nation, supporting thousands of community-based projects in the arts, sciences and humanities every year. The state legislature provides an annual appropriation to the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency, which then allocates funds to each community.
This year, the Westborough Cultural Council will distribute several thousand dollars in grants. Previously funded projects include many programs at the public library, field trips and enrichment programs in Westborough schools and musical and theatrical performances throughout the community.
For local guidelines and complete information on the Westborough Cultural Council, contact Cliff Watts at 508 366-5034 or [email protected]. Beginning this year, applications may be submitted online.
Application forms and more information about the Local Cultural Council Program are available online at www.mass-culture.org.
