For Immediate Release: 1/26/2012 10:27 am
Worcester, MA (January 26, 2012) - Worcester Arts Council (WAC) has announced the recipients of funding for the 2012 granting cycle. WAC awarded a total of $77,720 to 43 Worcester area artists, organizations, and educational institutions. The 2012 allocation includes two $4,000 Artist Fellowships, awarded to individual artists to assist in the funding of their artistic endeavors, which were granted to film director/producer, T. Lashay Parham, and photographer, Louie Despres.
The Worcester Arts Council selected a wide variety of grant recipients ranging from arts education through children’s programs, collaborative projects which promote diversity, public art, music/performing arts, and visual arts. WAC’s nine members reviewed applications in the fall during a series of meetings conducted to evaluate the overall quality of the proposed programs, their public benefit, and viability.
"The council worked diligently to select recipients based on the priorities put forth through the help of the communities' input," explained Helen Beaumont, Worcester Arts Council Chair. "These awarded programs and individuals are innovative, relevant, and diverse, which will continue to provide cultural enrichment opportunities for the lives of Worcester residents."
WAC will host a grant reception to all recipients in the spring of 2012. To view a complete listing of the 2012 Worcester Arts Council grant recipients is enclosed and can also be found by visiting www.worcestermass.org/WAC.
The Worcester Arts Council is a municipal body consisting of nine members appointed by the City Manager. WAC is charged with promoting the cultural affairs of the City of Worcester; conducting studies and research and publishing reports of cultural activities; advising municipal agencies on cultural matters; and allocating funds received by the Massachusetts Cultural Council for cultural projects and programs through the Local Cultural Council Program.
| Applicant | Project Title | Grant Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Louis Despres | Fellowship | $4,000 |
| T. Lashay Parham | Fellowship Run Women Run; Women in Leadership & Politics | $4,000 |
| Alhuda Academy: Maria Laddaoui | Exploring Culture through Rythm | $2,141 |
| Belmont Street Community School: Rebecca Bertel | Voyage to Mars | $1,050 |
| Jacob Hiatt Magnet School: Gregory Bares | Smart Arts: Integration of Social Studies and Art | $1,690 |
| Nativity School of Worcester: Alex Zequeira | Winter & Spring Arts Night at NSW | $500 |
| Seven Hills Charter School: Kathleen Holton | Celebrate | $800 |
| Venerini Academy: David Fredette | Curtains Up | $900 |
| All Saints Church: The Rev. Kevin D. Bean | Afternoon Tunes | $2,500 |
| Art in the Park: Cyrus D. Lipsitt | Art in the Park 2012 | $3,000 |
| ARTSWorcester: Cynthia Woehrle | 8th Annual Colleges of the Consortium Exhibition | $675 |
| The Canal District Alliance: Elizabeth Bacon | Horse & Wagon Tours | $3,000 |
| Cantor Art Gallery: Paula Rosenblum | Cuban Artists Books and Prints Outreach | $3,600 |
| Clark University: Kristina Wilson | The Life of a Campus: Clark Buildings Then and Now | $650 |
| Culture LEAP: Heather Feland | The Shakespeare Project: Macbeth for 12th Graders | $5,000 |
| Dynamy: Jesse Leidel | Dynamy Youth Academy Theater of the Oppressed | $1,000 |
| Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts: Nel Lazour | Student Critic Program | $500 |
| Henry Lee Willis Community Center: Kristen Bokhan | African American and Juneteenth Festival | $2,000 |
| Hispania, Inc.: Jose Castillo | My Encounter with Music | $500 |
| Massachusetts Symphony Orchestra, Inc. | Boston Symphony Orchestra Community Chamber Concert | $500 |
| Massmouth Worcester: Josna Rege | Two Seasons of Story Slams in Worcester | $1,500 |
| Master Singers of Worcester: Moira Rouse | King David | $750 |
| Music Worcester: Jennifer Potts | Tickets to Opportunity: Nativity School Students | $1,000 |
| Preservation Worcester: Susan Ceccacci | City Windows Project | $600 |
| Rainbow Child Development Center: Joyce Rowell | ArtReach Creative Beginnings | $780 |
| Regional Environmental Council: Steven Fischer | Farmer's Markets Arts & Culture Events | $1,000 |
| Salisbury Singers, Inc.: Naome Fearing | Salisbury Singers Presents Baroque Brilliance | $680 |
| Seven Hills Family Services, Inc.: Kate Myshrall | Defining Dignity through Saori Weaving | $1,570 |
| Southeast Asian Coalition: Thuha Le | Asian Cultural Events | $3,000 |
| Veterans Inc.: Allison Alaimo | Veterans Day Childrens Corner | $750 |
| Worcester Center for Crafts: Carol Donnelly | Hot Night in the City | $2,000 |
| Worcester Chamber Music Society: Tracy Kraus | Free Family Concert | $750 |
| Worcester Community Cable Access, Inc.: Joseph S. Townsend | Young Video Promoters of Local Music Project | $1,160 |
| Worcester Historical Museum: Janice E. Seymour | Game On! | $3,500 |
| Worcester Music Project: John Delorey | Worcester Music Project | $3,000 |
| Worcester Public Library Foundation: Julie Glavin | Early Literacy Storytelling and Art Classes | $2,000 |
| Alex Charalambides | Worcester Youth Poetry Slam | $2,000 |
| Nick Davis | The Dirty Gerund Poetry & Variety Show | $1,259 |
| Rosemary Eason-Dawson | The Herd: Back to the Land | $1,230 |
| Eric Glass | Wacky Factory | $4,000 |
| Katie Green | Storytelling and Writing Program | $2,900 |
| Malcolm Halliday | A Worcester Schubertiad | $1,360 |
| Lynne McKenney-Lydick | Follow the Cannon, Clara Barton's Letters | $350 |
| David Twiss | The Fury's: A Fundraiser for the BHS Chorus | $1,740 |
| Rachel Van Wagoner | Girl-Ager, A Space Message to My Future Self | $835 |
