By Lawrence Kessenich
Watertown Cultural Council member
The Watertown Cultural Council (WCC) has completed its 2024-2025 grants season, awarding just under $35,000 in grants to a variety of individuals and organizations. The grants were funded by Massachusetts Cultural Council, and, for the first time, the Commonwealth’s funds were matched by funds from The City of Watertown, enabling the WCC to double its impact on
Watertown’s cultural life.
The WCC processed 66 grant applications, approving 33 of those grants. Here are some examples of projects that received funding from the WCC:
• Watertown ArtsMarket
• Porchfest
• Open Mic
• Multiple events at the Watertown Library
• Multiple events at Watertown public schools and one at the Perkins School
• Senior Center musical presentations
• Mossessian Center for the Arts course tuition assistance
• Actor’s Shakespeare Project course tuition assistance
• Watertown’s first dragon boat entered in the Dragon Boat Festival
• Plaque to commemorate Watertown artist Arshile Gorky
• Historical Society newsletter
• River of Light workshops and performance
In May, the WCC held a reception for its grantees at Gore Place, where the recipients shared how they made use of the grant money provided.
The WCC’s grant application season for 2025-2026 opens September 2, 2025 and closes on October 16, 2025. Each grant season is unique, so those who applied in the past season may apply again, whether or not they received a grant for 2024-2025 season.
Find out more at https://www.watertown-ma.gov/1239/Watertown-Cultural-Council