Take the Worcester Arts Council’s 2020 Funding Priorities Survey

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Weigh in on Arts & Culture in Worcester and Enter to Win Bose Headphones

The Worcester Arts Council (WAC) is seeking community input on arts and culture in Worcester through its 2020 Funding Priorities Survey.

The online survey will be open now through September 7, 2020, and can be completed here. Responses to this brief survey will help determine the Council’s funding priorities for the 2021 grant cycle, which begins October 1, 2020.

“Taking WAC’s 2020 Funding Priorities Survey might be the simplest way anyone in Worcester can weigh in on the direction of arts and culture in the City. It takes less than 5 minutes to complete, and the answers directly influence where our annual grant funding goes,” said Worcester Arts Council Chair Yasmin Goris. “Plus, this year you also have a chance to win a pair of Bose headphones by completing the survey! It’s a win-win-win.”

Those who complete the survey also have a chance to win a pair of Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 ($399 value). The Worcester Cultural Coalition has teamed up with WAC to help encourage survey participation by offering this raffle prize.

“As our Cultural Plan reflects, the Worcester Cultural Coalition’s efforts include creating equity in the arts in order to tell the full Worcester story. The input of all of Worcester’s populations is invaluable to these efforts,” said Erin Williams, Executive Director of the Worcester Cultural Coalition. The Worcester Cultural Plan can be found here.

Because WAC is responsible for distributing public dollars, the Council solicits public opinion about how to best distribute those funds through its Funding Priorities Survey. Like most Local Cultural Councils, WAC typically receives more grant requests than can be funded. Strong priorities based on community input help guide its grant-making decisions.

This year, WAC is looking to gain more overall participation, with wider demographics among survey participants.

“It is so important that the responses to our Funding Priorities Survey truly represent all the people of Worcester and reflect what is important to our diverse community. The Worcester Arts Council is planning extensive outreach in the City and will be distributing this survey widely. We strongly encourage anyone who lives or works in Worcester to take part,” Goris said.

The Worcester Arts Council is part of a statewide network of 329 Local Cultural Councils supported through the Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC). The Local Cultural Council (LCC) Program is the largest grassroots cultural funding network in the nation, supporting thousands of community-based projects in the arts, humanities, and sciences. This program assists the Worcester community in the development of local projects and adds to the cultural vitality of the city.

The current Worcester Arts Council members are Yasmin Goris (Chair), Jeremy Bouchard (Secretary), Mitchell Perry (Treasurer), Thomas Conroy, David Filar, Lisa Malo, Jennifer Riley, and George Sedares. The Council currently has one vacant seat. Those interested in serving on the Worcester Arts Council can find out more or apply on the City of Worcester website.

  • July 27, 2020 Update: Please note that due to updates from the Mass Cultural Council, the statewide organization which funds the Worcester Arts Council, deadlines have been adjusted. The Funding Priorities Survey will now close September 7, allowing more time for public input. Applications for the 2021 grant cycle will be accepted October 1 – November 15. An additional announcement on this adjustment to follow.

More to explore

Catch the Fire

On February 3rd community members gathered at Worcester Center for Crafts to celebrate the opening of the Catch the Fire art exhibition.

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