The Northampton Arts 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 Mass Cultural Council, a state agency, which then allocates funds to each community. https://massculturalcouncil.org
Grants are awarded in the following categories: Dance, Media Arts, Multidisciplinary Arts, Music, Theater, and Visual Arts.
UPDATE: The Arts Council is currently waiting for the city to appoint our newest members. This means that the meetings during which we present and vote on grant applications are postponed until our new members are confirmed by the Mayor and the City Council. We expect this process to be complete by the end of May 2022. At that time, we will meet to present grant applications and allocate funding. We hope to return grant decisions to you in May 2022 and will send timeline updates as they become available.
Important Dates
Online Application Opens: September 1, 2021 - Information here
Online Application Deadline: November 1, 2021
Disapproval emails sent out by May 15, 2022
Approval emails sent out by May 30, 2022
Northampton Local Cultural Council Grant Priorities FY22
More Information and Resources
Will I receive notice of whether my application has been accepted via postal mail or email?
LCC’s have the option to send denial and acceptance letters via email or postal mail. Most councils will choose to send emails. If you haven’t received news by January 15, 2022, try contacting the council.
Will the reimbursement process be moving online as well?
No. The reimbursement process will not move online this year.
I have another question that isn’t answered here.
If you have a technical issue or a question about the online application, please email MCC_help_desk@art.state.ma.us or call 617-858-2721.
LCC’s have the option to send denial and acceptance letters via email or postal mail. Most councils will choose to send emails. If you haven’t received news by January 15, 2022, try contacting the council.
Will the reimbursement process be moving online as well?
No. The reimbursement process will not move online this year.
I have another question that isn’t answered here.
If you have a technical issue or a question about the online application, please email MCC_help_desk@art.state.ma.us or call 617-858-2721.
If you have a questions about Northampton Arts Council's priorities, please email admin@northamptonartscouncil.org.
________________________________________ArtsEZ GRANT ROUND - OPENS SPRING 2022 (POSTPONED); We are unable to administer a spring grant round due to our lack of quorum. We will be deciding on how best to distribute grant funds at an upcoming arts council meeting.
The Northampton Arts Council is a unique Local Cultural Council in that it offers a second round of grants every spring with money raised through annual events like Performance, First Night Northampton, and the Four Sundays in February Series.
Funds are available to projects that take place in Northampton, Florence, and Leeds in the following categories: Dance, Film/Video, Literature, Mixed Media, Music, Schools, Theater, and Visual Arts.
A list of past grant recipients is here.
ONLY ONLINE SUBMISSIONS WILL BE CONSIDERED.
What Happens if You Receive an ArtsEZ Grant in the Spring?
ArtsEZ Spring Grant Reimbursement Information HERE
Funds are awarded on a reimbursement basis only. Request for payment must be made within twelve months of notification of grant award. In addition, all successful applicants must properly credit the Northampton Arts Council for providing funds to the project in all press materials, posters, programs, announcements, paid advertising by putting the Northampton Arts Council logo on the press materials. Failure to do so will result in loss of funding. An example of proper credit would be: "This program is supported in part by a grant from the Northampton Arts Council" as well as adding our logo to the marketing materials.
How does the Arts Council decide which grant proposals get funded?
The volunteer board members of the Arts Council review each grant. Each board member is assigned a grant category and carefully reads every proposal in that category, following up with the artists for additional information if necessary. Each assigned board member then presents all the grants in his/her category to the entire board during the grant review meeting. After hearing presentations on all the grant submissions, each board member scores each grant proposal.
The Northampton Arts Council is a unique Local Cultural Council in that it offers a second round of grants every spring with money raised through annual events like Performance, First Night Northampton, and the Four Sundays in February Series.
ONLY ONLINE SUBMISSIONS WILL BE CONSIDERED.
ArtsEZ Spring Grant Guidelines are being updatedList of Local Venues/Spaces HEREFunding for project proposals that will be completed between 7/1/22 - 6/31/23ONLY ONLINE SUBMISSIONS WILL BE CONSIDEREDNorthampton Arts Council Logo & MCC Logo
What Happens if You Receive an ArtsEZ Grant in the Spring?
ArtsEZ Spring Grant Reimbursement Information HERE
Funds are awarded on a reimbursement basis only. Request for payment must be made within twelve months of notification of grant award. In addition, all successful applicants must properly credit the Northampton Arts Council for providing funds to the project in all press materials, posters, programs, announcements, paid advertising by putting the Northampton Arts Council logo on the press materials. Failure to do so will result in loss of funding. An example of proper credit would be: "This program is supported in part by a grant from the Northampton Arts Council" as well as adding our logo to the marketing materials.
How does the Arts Council decide which grant proposals get funded?
The volunteer board members of the Arts Council review each grant. Each board member is assigned a grant category and carefully reads every proposal in that category, following up with the artists for additional information if necessary. Each assigned board member then presents all the grants in his/her category to the entire board during the grant review meeting. After hearing presentations on all the grant submissions, each board member scores each grant proposal.
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BJ GOODWIN MEMORIAL FUND - Now accepting proposals
In honor of BJ Goodwin--performer, dancer, and educator--the Northampton Arts Council has formed a new grant program for the arts community. The BJ Goodwin Grant is designed to provide direct assistance to a Northampton-based artist, writer or arts organization in recognition of exceptional work and to support the further development of artistic talents. It is our hope that this grant opportunity will also provide artists with recognition and affirmation from their peers and the public. Individuals or organizations that are considered for this grant have already demonstrated their exceptional work within our community and are looking for supplemental funding to bring their work outside our region to another country or another region within the U.S. If you are interested in applying for the BJ Goodwin Grant please email bfoote@northamptonma.gov or call (413) 587-1069.
Good example of BJ Goodwin proposal is here
History of BJ Goodwin Fund here
BJ Goodwin Donation Sheet here
The Northampton Arts Council accepts donations from the community that go towards the building of this special fund. To donate to the BJ Goodwin Fund click here, please write "BJ Goodwin" in note section to define the donation. Donations are tax-deductible.
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TRANSPERFORMANCE MUSIC BENEFIT was established to provide support to Northampton’s most promising young artists. Every year, the Northampton Arts Council directly donates a portion of the proceeds from Transperformance to the Parent Teacher Organizations of Northampton High School, JFK Middle School, RK Finn Ryan Road, Leeds Elementary, Bridge Street School, and Jackson Street School. The funds are earmarked for arts education and enrichment. Donations are tax-deductible.
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In honor of BJ Goodwin--performer, dancer, and educator--the Northampton Arts Council has formed a new grant program for the arts community. The BJ Goodwin Grant is designed to provide direct assistance to a Northampton-based artist, writer or arts organization in recognition of exceptional work and to support the further development of artistic talents. It is our hope that this grant opportunity will also provide artists with recognition and affirmation from their peers and the public. Individuals or organizations that are considered for this grant have already demonstrated their exceptional work within our community and are looking for supplemental funding to bring their work outside our region to another country or another region within the U.S. If you are interested in applying for the BJ Goodwin Grant please email bfoote@northamptonma.gov or call (413) 587-1069.
Good example of BJ Goodwin proposal is here
History of BJ Goodwin Fund here
BJ Goodwin Donation Sheet here
The Northampton Arts Council accepts donations from the community that go towards the building of this special fund. To donate to the BJ Goodwin Fund click here, please write "BJ Goodwin" in note section to define the donation. Donations are tax-deductible.
_____________________________________________________________________
TRANSPERFORMANCE MUSIC BENEFIT was established to provide support to Northampton’s most promising young artists. Every year, the Northampton Arts Council directly donates a portion of the proceeds from Transperformance to the Parent Teacher Organizations of Northampton High School, JFK Middle School, RK Finn Ryan Road, Leeds Elementary, Bridge Street School, and Jackson Street School. The funds are earmarked for arts education and enrichment. Donations are tax-deductible.
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J. Scott Brandon Fund - For more information click here.
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Conflict of Interest Policy
To ensure that members of the Northampton Arts Council are free from conflicts of interest, board members are required to disclose any current or prospective affiliations they or their immediate family members have with an actual or potential applicant. “Affiliations” applies to employment, board memberships, independent contractual relationships, advisory or policy relationships, substantial contributor relationships, or other financial relationships. In addition, panelists are required to disclose any past or current adversarial relationships with actual or potential applicants. Arts Council board members and staff who apply for a grant recuse themselves entirely from participating in the review process and allocation determinations of their grant application.
To ensure that members of the Northampton Arts Council are free from conflicts of interest, board members are required to disclose any current or prospective affiliations they or their immediate family members have with an actual or potential applicant. “Affiliations” applies to employment, board memberships, independent contractual relationships, advisory or policy relationships, substantial contributor relationships, or other financial relationships. In addition, panelists are required to disclose any past or current adversarial relationships with actual or potential applicants. Arts Council board members and staff who apply for a grant recuse themselves entirely from participating in the review process and allocation determinations of their grant application.
