01/23/2026
Look for the list of events at the bottom of this Press Release so you can save the dates for the ones you're interested in!!!!
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 22, 2026
For more information
Contact: Jennifer Conrad
617-233-2048
[email protected]
The Upton Cultural Council (UCC) Grant Recipients
The Upton Cultural Council (UCC) recently awarded 12 individuals or organizations grants totaling $7,100. This round of grants helped fund multiple musical performances and concerts throughout the year in a variety of genres, a workshop on tracing ancestral roots through immigration, an art program, local historical presentations, a theatrical performance depicting Historical Women at Memorial Elementary, and a multi-cultural fair at the local school district.
"We are thrilled to bring these programs to Upton and enhance the cultural landscape for our residents," says Jen Conrad, UCC Co-chair. "By supporting local artists and organizations, we aren't just funding events—we're strengthening our community's bonds. We’ve curated a diverse lineup so that every resident can find something that resonates with them."
The UCC is part of a network of 329 Local Cultural Councils serving all 351 cities and towns in the Commonwealth, under the umbrella of the Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC). The state legislature provides an annual appropriation to the MCC which then allocates funds to each community. 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.
A complete list of the recently awarded grants is available on the Upton Cultural Council page on the Town of Upton website. Go to: https://www.uptonma.gov/485/Cultural-Council and click “Grant Recipients” in the left menu panel. You can also find information on applying for grants here, or at https://massculturalcouncil.org. The grant cycle opens again in early September.
Current members include: Jennifer Conrad, Co-Chair; Robin Jokela, Co-Chair; Kate Baden, Recording Secretary; Shelley Glassman, Social Media Manager; Marie Kitchen, Treasurer; Lyn Haggerty, Member; and Megan Ronzio, Member. We welcome new members! If you are interested in joining the UCC, attending a council meeting, getting more information, or asking questions around submitting a grant proposal, please email [email protected].
You can also find us (and updated information about upcoming events) at https://www.facebook.com/uptonculturalcouncil, (Twitter), or uptonculturalcouncil on Instagram.
Upton Cultural Council
2026 Awards Granted
Project Date of Event (subject to change) Location (subject to change)
140Arts Collaborative Presents Spamalot. A full community production of Monty Python’s Spamalot. Summer of 2026 To Be Determined (TBD)
BVT Band & Chorus Concerts for All Series: Celebrating Diversity Through Music. Concerts performed by 50 BVT Band & Chorus students will include diverse composers, percussion instruments, and lyrics in multiple languages, increasing student voice, representation, audience relatability, and exposure to new music. June 2026 and Dec 2026 Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical High School (BVT)
Coming to America by Seema Jayne Kelley, local professional geneologist. A series of three presentations:
1) Leaving Liverpool: Emigration from Britain in the 19th Century. Explore the detailed logistics, official regulations, and personal stories behind mass emigration.
2) Crossing Oceans, Building Lives: Immigration to North America, 1600-1945. Explore how immigration procedures and records evolved from the 1600s through WWII & how to find and interpret family immigration records today.
3) The Paths to U.S. Citizenship. Explore the many ways immigrants gained American citizenship and the rich genealogical details found in naturalization records. You'll learn how the process has changed over time, what documents to look for, and where to find them. April 25- May 13- June 4, 2026 Upton Public Friends of Upton Town Library
The Music of McCartney: The World's Most Successful Songwriter. Singer Dan Kirouac will perform a one-hour concert of music on piano and vocals from Paul McCartney’s catalog of songs ranging from the 1960s with the Beatles to his later solo work in the 1980s, backstories and anecdotes about the song's origins and influence. July 26 at 1 pm at the Upton Senior Center
Sheryl Faye Presents Historical Women: Abigail Adams. "Sheryl Faye Presents Historical Women" series is dedicated to presenting strong, positive role models to children in grades K-8 by dramatizing the lives of famous women in history whose stories will complement the social studies, science, language arts, history and character education curriculum. March 4, 2026 Memorial Elementary School
MURSD Multicultural Fair. This event features student performances, interactive dance workshops, and exhibits highlighting crafts, history, and cultural traditions from around the world, along with a variety of international foods. May 14,2026 Nipmuc High School
Art Adventures, by Lauren Scheuer. A four-part program, ART ADVENTURES covers a different medium at each two-hour session: Drawing, watercolor, collage, and all of the above. No talent is necessary! March 10, 17, 24, 31, 6 pm - 8 pm Upton Community Center
Native American History of Upton, by the Upton Historical Society. A program on the history of Native Americans in Upton and in Central MA, specifically focused on both the local Nipmuc and Algonquin tribes.. The period covered will be from the earliest known records until approximately 1940. October 22, 2026 Upton Town Hall
Remembrances of Westboro Speedway from an Upton Perspective, by the Upton Historical Society. The program will be held in conjunction with the local car show already scheduled on that night. There will also be a display of local racing artifacts and a vintage race car that belonged to Upton native George "Tucker" Summers who was a champion race car driver from the 1950's through the 1980's. July 14, 2026 Upton VFW Post 5594
Game Shows to Go. through the Upton Senior Center, a dynamic, in-person program designed to entertain, engage, and stimulate older adults through a series of interactive game show experiences using familiar formats like Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy, and Family Feud. This high energy activity blends nostalgia, friendly competition, and cognitive engagement into one event. Early 2026 Upton Senior Center
Storytime Quintet, through the Upton Town Library. The Storytime Quintet introduces families to classical music by pairing it with classic children’s stories. A quintet of musicians will visit the Upton Town Library and perform the story of "Peter and the Wolf" using woodwind instruments, providing high quality music and a fun and memorable experience for attendees of all ages. July 14, 2026 Community Ctr. Great Rm Upton Community Center
Willie Nelson - Songs & Stories with Matt York. The Words and Wisdom of Willie Nelson - is a musical presentation in which the artist performs songs and tells stories about Willie Nelson. Spring of 2026 Upton Senior Center
The Upton Cultural Council (UCC) is funded by Mass Cultural Council, a state agency. We seek to enrich Upton and nearby towns by funding community-based projects in the arts, humanities, and sciences via grants.
