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Arts & Culture Department

The Arts and Culture Department works to fund, promote, and present high-quality, community-based arts programming for the benefit of artists, residents, and visitors to the City of Northampton. The department works with the arts council to perform tasks assigned to local cultural councils under MGL c. 10, § 58, or successor statutes. The department coordinates the Paradise City Cultural District under MGL c. 10 § 58A. The department serves as the city’s liaison to local, regional, and statewide arts and culture organizations. The department provides administrative, clerical, and technical support to the Arts Council.

The Northampton Arts Council works to support and nurture the arts in the city of Northampton. The Council awards grants twice yearly to artists and arts groups from state and locally-raised funds and seeks to improve public awareness of the arts.

PARADISE CITY CULTURAL DISTRICT

The Paradise City Cultural District is home to a community of unique cultural institutions that attract established national and international artists and support emerging local artists. The Paradise City Cultural District spans an architecturally impressive, walkable, and bikeable area encompassing approximately 14 square blocks in Northampton, Massachusetts.

Since 2014, the Northampton Arts Council has fostered the Paradise City Cultural District. This city-appointed council works to support and nurture the arts in Northampton.

For more information visit the Paradise District Website

Local Cultural Council Grant Program
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 annually.
The program promotes the availability of rich cultural experiences for every Massachusetts citizen.
Administered by 2,400 municipally appointed volunteers, the LCC network comprises 329 councils serving all 351 Massachusetts cities and towns. Each year, local councils award more than $2 million in grants to more than 5,000 cultural programs statewide. These include school field trips, after-school programs, concerts, festivals, lectures, theater, dance, music, and film. LCC projects occur in schools, community centers, libraries, elder care facilities, town halls, parks, and wherever communities come together.
More information can be found: https://massculturalcouncil.org/local-council/northampton/

Northampton Arts Council Members as of October 18, 2023

Eamonn Edge
Garrett Williams
Jesse Hassinger, Clerk
Thulani Davis
Mi Belitsky
Anna VA Polesny
Jo Ella Tarbutton-Springfield
Kaye Carroll, Chair
Alyona Skripka
Ron Smith
Michael Brown
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Arts Council Meetings:
Council meetings usually occur in the City Hall Hearing Room at 210 Main Street from 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Please get in touch with bfoote@northamptonma.gov for the up-to-date schedule and details. Currently, the meetings are hybrid, in-person and on Zoom.

If you want to join the Northampton Arts Council, please complete an application online.

Agendas and minutes can be found here: https://northamptonma.gov/1504/Arts-Council.