LCC FY26
Local Cultural Council (LCC) Grants: FY26 Recipients
The Northampton Arts Council, in partnership with the Office of the Mayor, administers annual grant funding allocated by the Massachusetts Cultural Council's Local Cultural Council (LCC) program. These public funds directly support extraordinary community-based projects and programming in the arts, humanities, and interpretive sciences.
For the Fiscal Year 2026 funding cycle, the Arts Council faced an incredibly competitive field, receiving 100 applications requesting a total of $149,485. Ultimately, 20 grants totaling $22,710 were awarded across seven distinct disciplines: Dance, Literature, Media Arts, Multidisciplinary Arts, Music, Theater, and Visual Arts.
FY26 Grant Awards Summary
Flo Fest (Flo Fest) Award: $1,630 | Project Location: Downtown Florence
Ripp, Alexandra (Imaginary Friends) Award: $1,290 | Project Location: A.P.E. Gallery, 126 Main St, Northampton
Northampton Center for the Arts, Inc. (2026 Youth Performance Festival) Award: $1,260 | Project Location: Northampton Center for the Arts (33 Hawley) and Holyoke Media (1 Court Plaza)
Ayres, Wylder (Project Transmutation) Award: $1,655 | Project Location: Selected billboard location in Northampton (TBD)
Ferry, Chris (Emerging Filmmakers of Western Massachusetts) Award: $1,500 | Project Location: Academy of Music
Pandina, Melissa (Steamroller Festival) Award: $1,860 | Project Location: Parking lot of 33 Hawley
Bombyx Brass Collective (Bombyx Brass Collective Masterclasses and Performance) Award: $930 | Project Location: Bombyx Center for Arts and Equity
Bridge Street School (Super Stories Fifth Grade Mural) Award: $1,225 | Project Location: Bridge St. School, Northampton
ServiceNet, Inc. (Whole Children/Milestones theater production) Award: $610 | Project Location: Smith College Flanagan Theater, Northampton
Goffe, Deborah A. (Liturgy|Order|Bridge: Practice Sessions) Award: $305 | Project Location: Diverse arts and community spaces throughout the Pioneer Valley that are owned, operated by, or primarily serve the BIPOC community.
Means, Pamela (Pamela Means presents Black, Brown, and Beige: Our Shared History and Present Day) Award: $730 | Project Location: CLICK Workspace
Herskovitz, Rebecca (Silent Disco Studio Hour) Award: $1,215 | Project Location: 33 Hawley Street
Manselle, Jafar (West African Drumming Workshop - Come Out to Play) Award: $180 | Project Location: Forbes Library
Grow Food Northampton, Inc. (Grow Food Northampton Farmers Market Music) Award: $1,815 | Project Location: Tuesday Market (Plaza behind Thornes Marketplace) and Winter Market (Northampton Senior Center)
Play Incubation Collective, Inc (2026 PIC PIPS and Development Workshops) Award: $905 | Project Location: A.P.E. Workroom Cooperative, 33 Hawley
Ghost Ensemble, Inc. (Deep Listening in Community: Public Performance) Award: $905 | Project Location: Bombyx Center for Arts and Equity, 130 Pine St, Florence
Carlino, Kim A. (Fun-Sized: A Tiny Public Art Festival) Award: $1,505 | Project Location: Downtown Northampton
Green Street Brew A Cappella Group (Local Vocal Chord Bowl #15) Award: $785 | Project Location: Northampton High School Auditorium
Da Camara Singers (Hear Our Voices; We've Always Been Here!) Award: $600 | Project Location: Helen Hills Hills Chapel, Smith College
Center for Human Development, Incorporated (All In Drum Circle) Award: $1,805 | Project Location: Northampton Center for the Arts