By Karen E. Ludington
The Becket Cultural Council has awarded $8,200 in grants to local organizations and individuals for 2024. Decisions were made at the Council’s meeting on December 4, 2023, after Council members reviewed and discussed 35 grant applications requesting a total of $35,253. The 14 approved grant amounts ranged from $300 to $1,200.
The applications sought support for arts activities and events covering a wide geographical area, but the Council focused on projects created by and for Becket and Becket/Washington organizations. “We are very grateful for the strong support we received from the Becket Select Board. It means a great deal to us that Becket voters approved $3000 for the arts at last year’s town meeting. Becket clearly values the arts!”” said Cultural Council Chair Cathy Terwedow. “We believe we have chosen projects that will benefit people of all ages and backgrounds and that Becket residents will be proud of.”
The grants will support a broad range of activities, including music, drama, dance, creative writing, science, children’s after-school programing, and the annual Summer Fun Day enjoyed by families from Becket and Washington. “Something for everyone,” Terwedow said.
Successful applicants have expressed excitement about what the grants will make possible. Lucie Cataldo, of the Berkshire Art Center, said, “We are absolutely honored and grateful to be awarded funding from Becket Cultural Council for our after-school art program at Becket Washington School! All of our after-school programming is subsidized and this award allows us to not only offer reduced tuition to all students, but additional scholarships to students who need it most.”
Grants were awarded to the following: Becket Arts Center, Becket Athenaeum, Becket Beat, Becket Police Association, Becket Washington School, Berkshire Art Center, Berkshire Music School, Berkshire Pulse, Jodi Hostetter’s Music in the Park, Nutshell Playhouse, town of Washington and Lara Tupper’s Writing Project.
