Community Initiative - Mass Cultural Council

09/03/2026

Pelham Lifelong Learning Center’s Pelham Community Impact Fund is dedicated to sustaining and amplifying local organizations working with residents living in the Pelham community and surrounding neighborhoods in SE Framingham.

Organizations interested in applying are strongly encouraged to attend an in-person Q&A information session on Oct. 1, 2026. LOI deadline: Oct. 23, 2026.

Learn more about the Pelham Community Impact Fund: https://pelhamlearningcenter.org/pelham-community-impact-fund/

Register for the info session Oct. 1 at 9 am: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/a9qjzmn/lp/31748bd9-3b80-4c6d-94be-8ce3437d34a5

Pelham Community Impact Fund BackgroundPelham Community Impact FundPelham Apartments is a mixed-income, 540-unit residential development located in southeast Framingham, constructed around 1967. Its board has a long history of supporting residents and the surrounding community. A notable milestone i...

09/01/2026

Local and Tribal Cultural Council (LCC & TCC) grants are now open for applications! These grants support community-based arts, humanities, and cultural projects across Massachusetts.

Info Session: September 10, 2026 at 6:00 PM
Application Deadline: October 15, 2026

Learn more about the application process: https://massculturalcouncil.org/communities/local-cultural-council-program/application-process/

Planning to apply? Register for our LCC & TCC Grants Info Session on September 10th at 6 pm for prospective grant applicants: https://massculturalcouncil.org/event/local-tribal-cultural-council-fy27-grant-applicant-info-session/

08/27/2026

Don’t miss “Mano a Mano: Arias in Dialogue," a free concert celebrating the richness of Hispanic classical music at the Framingham Public Library on Saturday, September 26th at 3 pm.

Join mezzo-soprano F***y Lora Artist and a Boston-based chamber ensemble for an afternoon where beloved European opera arias are placed in conversation with extraordinary Spanish and Latin American works.

Reserve your free ticket: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/mano-a-mano-arias-in-dialogue-tickets-1995123902299
Check out the Facebook event here: https://www.facebook.com/share/18JvJadfkt/

Saturday, September 26
3:00 PM
Costin Room, Framingham Public Library
Admission is free, but reservations are appreciated.

08/26/2026

Congratulations to the Maynard Cultural Council on a successful grant reception! The Communities Team had a great time celebrating the many people who support and contribute to Maynard’s arts and cultural community.

Two Maynard Cultural Council members were presented with Official Citations during the reception, one from Rep Kate Hogan and another from Senator Jamie Eldridge. The evening also included the presentation of the Erik Hansen Award to a community member.

Learn more about the Maynard Cultural Council: https://massculturalcouncil.org/local-council/maynard/

Photo credit: Jenna Dargie

08/20/2026

Don’t miss The Sufi’s Nightingale, a world-premiere musical adaptation of Sarbpreet Singh’s bestselling novel, at Boston’s historic Strand Theatre on September 26th and 27th.

The production explores the life of 16th-century Punjabi mystic poet Shah Hussain through original music, classical Indian ragas, Kathak dance, and Sufi poetry.

Admission is free and open to the public. Advance reservations are recommended. Learn more and reserve tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-sufis-nightingale-musical-tickets-1990983868346

08/18/2026

Our Communities Team had a great time at the Saugus Cultural Council’s Summer Concert event at Iron Works!

The evening also featured an art show with this year’s theme, The Great Outdoors, celebrating the beauty, wonder, and experience of being immersed in nature. It was a great night of art, music, and community.

Learn more about the Saugus Cultural Council: https://massculturalcouncil.org/local-council/saugus/
(photo cred: Brittany Rubin)

08/12/2026

Town of Wi******er, MA's is here! 🎨

The Wi******er Cultural Council and the Wi******er Artists' Network kicked off this year's Art in August with a gala reception at the Griffin Museum of Photography, right in the heart of the Wi******er Cultural District. Local artists, generous shop owners, town leaders, grant recipients, and neighbors came together to celebrate a month of art displayed in shops and windows throughout town.

Art in August runs through the end of the month, and there's plenty more to explore in the Cultural District: the Sculpture Garden and Riverwalk exhibition near the Griffin Museum, the annual sidewalk art exhibition presented by Arts Wi******er, the Griffin Museum's Vision(ary) exhibit, Wednesday concerts on the Common, Saturday music at the Farmers' Market, and events at Wright Locke Farm.

Congratulations to the Wi******er cultural community for a wonderful season of programming!

Learn more: https://winchesterculturalcouncil.org/art-in-august/2026

08/10/2026

The Communities Team and Lowell Cultural Council had a great time supporting and tabling at the Lowell Folk Fest! As one of the nation's largest and longest-running free folk events, the three-day festival featured over 60 performances across multiple stages, global food booths run by local non-profits, traditional crafts, and family activities.

Learn more about the Lowell Cultural Council: https://massculturalcouncil.org/local-council/Lowell/
(photo cred: Evelyn Torrales)

08/10/2026

Calling all Local & Tribal Cultural Councils! As we approach the start of the FY27 Grant Cycle, we invite you to register for the "LCC/TCC Member Training Webinar" on Tuesday, August 18 @ 6pm.

All recently appointed LCC/TCC members are encouraged to attend, and note the FY27 changes/timeline. If you cannot attend live, please register to be notified when the recording is published on our YouTube page.

Register: https://massculturalcouncil.org/event/local-tribal-cultural-councils-fy27-guidelines-training/

08/07/2026

Join the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism for "Tourism U" - a professional development series for the MA tourism industry on Wednesday, August 12, 10:00 - 11:00 a.m.

Learn about ways to connect with the Mass. Office of Travel and Tourism through professional development, grant opportunities, business listings, and content marketing as well as best practices for working with your regional tourism council.

Register for the webinar: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_qEEdrF9VTKuwQhuzwteNpQ #/registration