Thanks to individual donors, federal funding, and a contribution from a Boston-based foundation, Greater Worcester Community Foundation will distribute $2.25 million in funds to support the growth of art and culture in Worcester County.
The Barr Foundation, a private Boston-based organization focused on the art, climate, and education causes, is providing $1.4 million total, with $1 million of that donated through the Creative Worcester County initiative. That effort is part of the Creative Commonwealth Initiative, a 10-year partnership between the foundation and eight Massachusetts community foundations including GWCF, according to a press release issued by GWCF on Thursday.
“Each of these investments underscores the power of collaboration and the arts in shaping a vibrant and inclusive community,” Pete Dunn, president & CEO of Greater Worcester Community Foundation, said in the Thursday press release. “We are honored to steward these funds and help bring the transformative potential of arts and culture to life across Worcester County.”
The Creative Commonwealth Initiative funds, boosted by an additional $277,609 contributed by 34 donors, will go toward expanding engagement with arts organizations in the county,
supporting art nonprofits through GWCF’s Nonprofit Support Center, investments in the Worcester Cultural Coalition and the Fitchburg Cultural Alliance, and supporting individual creatives through the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art’s Assets for Artists program, which will be hosted by ArtsWorcester this year.
The remaining $400,000 from the Barr Foundation comes in the form of a new grant, which will fund the continuation of the Jean McDonough Arts Center Access Grant program. This program supports the operations of the venue on Franklin Street, which GWCF says serves as an important resource for the region’s underserved artists.
The final $574,097 comes in the form of the City of Worcester’s remaining American Rescue Plan Act funds, earmarked for nonprofit organizations in the arts and culture sector. GWCF is working to allocate these funds as part of the City’s Cultural Plan, which intends to help nonprofits recover from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Some area nonprofits have taken issue with how American Rescue Plan Act funds have been previously allocated, citing what they see as racial equity issues and an overly-strict application process, according to reporting from WGBH. Responding to some of those criticisms in an August memo, Worcester City Manager Eric Batista said the City is trying to use ARPA money to address emerging and persistent needs in the community.
Eric Casey is the managing editor at Worcester Business Journal, who primarily covers the manufacturing and real estate industries.
