SOUTHWICK – Representative Nicholas A. Boldyga, Senator Donald Humason, and Susan Kochanski, chair of the Southwick Cultural Council, have announced the award of seven grants totaling $4,514 for cultural programs in Southwick for this year.
The Southwick Cultural Council is part of a network of 329 local cultural councils serving all 351 cities and towns in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts under the umbrella of the Massachusetts Cultural Council. The MCC is the largest grassroots cultural funding network in the nation, supporting thousands of community-based projects in the arts, sciences and humanities every year. The state legislature provides an annual appropriation to the MCC, a state agency, which then allocates funds to community-based cultural councils.
“I’m pleased to announce that Southwick has received a number of grants for arts and humanities programs,” Boldyga said. “MCC grants help to ensure that cultural resources in Southwick and across the Commonwealth are accessible to residents.”
Decisions about which activities to support are made at the community level by a board of town-appointed volunteers. The members of the Southwick Cultural Council are Susan Kochanski, Pat McMahon, Karen Deyo, Maria Gallo, Laura Zides-Lucier, Marcia Capuano, Joan Perkins-Smith, Lisa Pentz and Ellen Miles.
“It’s the local volunteers who really make this system work,” said Humason. “They make limited resources go as far as possible, and they make the tough decisions about which projects should be supported. Thanks to them, the arts, sciences and humanities are part of people’s everyday lives in every community across the Commonwealth.”
“The SCC is pleased to be able to support requests from local organizations,” said Kochanski. “We try to award grants in a manner that supports all segments of the population from senior citizens to students and young children. These are very tough decisions and each year we hope the funding will increase a little so we can fund additional grant requests.”
Statewide, more than $2 million will be distributed to communities this year. Grants will support an enormous range of grassroots activities including concerts, festivals, lectures, theater, dance, music and film. Local projects take place in schools, community centers, libraries, elder-care facilities, town halls, parks and wherever communities come together.
The SCC will seek applications again in the fall. Information and forms are available online at www.massculturalcouncil.org. Applications are available in October of each year.
The 2015 grants for Southwick include:
Rotary Club of Southwick – Under the umbrella of the Southwick Rotary Club, a three-day event now known as Southwick Days will include a parade, carnival, fireworks display, and Grill’n Daze, a chili and BBQ competition. The grant will be used to provide musical entertainment throughout the weekend in late July.
Springfield Symphony Orchestra – “Rites of Spring,” a cultural field trip to the Springfield Symphony Hall is scheduled on April 14 for Grade 4 students from Southwick Woodland School for the purpose of educating the students to musical performing arts.
Southwick Public Library – Wingmasters. Julie Anne Collier will bring a number of rehabilitated birds of prey, such as a Great Horned Owl and Peregrine Falcon, to increase the appreciation of North American birds of prey. The presentation is designed for adults and students age 6 and up and will be scheduled as part of the library’s Suntime Reading Program.
Southwick Public Library –Toe Jam Puppet Band. The show will offer a special brand of hands-on children’s entertainment encompassing a unique combination of original songs, masterful shadow puppetry, humor and storytelling. The program will be scheduled as part of the library’s Suntime Reading Program.
Southwick Public Library – Everyone is a Hero! Andy and Veronica Fish will provide lessons on creating characters using shape and art styles along with a brief history of the comic and cartooning art form. The program will be scheduled as part of the library’s Suntime Reading Program.
Southwick Agricultural Commission – Tractor Rally: Celebrating our Farming Heritage. A first-time event for the purpose of celebrating Southwick’s agricultural past and present will include a display of old and new tractors in a central location along with an exhibit that showcases farming history and vibrant agricultural economy. The event will also include a barbecue using locally raised meats and produce.
Sara Kochanski – Wishbone Zoe, a local vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter, will perform at the Southwick Cultural Council fine art show in April. Her folk-style selections are accompanied by bass, banjo and piano.
These programs are supported in part by grants from the Southwick Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency. The SCC meets the third Thursday of each month at the Southwick Town Hall, 454 College Highway, Southwick, at 7 p.m.
