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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 9, 2006
Contacts: Jane Beal: 617-349-4381, Elizabeth White: 617-349-4385
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Cambridge Arts Council Announces 2006 Grant Recipients

The Cambridge Arts Council (CAC) is pleased to announce the grant recipients for the 2006 Local Cultural Council Grant Program in Cambridge, MA. With approximately $50,000 to grant in this year, CAC awarded 27 grants, allocating funds to 56% of the applicants.

The majority of the funding comes from the City of Cambridge, amounting to $35,000. City funding has helped offset the substantial cuts in state funding that occurred in 2002. Announcing the list of recipients, Mayor Kenneth Reeves said, "I am delighted that City funding will help nourish the creative community in Cambridge. Our cultural resources are one of the elements that distinguish this City and these projects show the range of talent and imagination to be found in Cambridge.”

Each year, CAC distributes funding from the Massachusetts Cultural Council and the City of Cambridge through a competitive grant process to support arts initiatives that have a direct benefit to Cambridge citizens and the cultural life of the city. State Rep. and Vice Mayor Tim Toomey commented on the importance of public funding for the arts. “Every dollar invested in the arts reaps huge returns not only in quality of life and community building, but also as an economic engine bringing new business to the City. State and City support also attracts other funding sources for worthy projects, demonstrating our commitment to a promoting cultural experiences.”

Newly arrived in Cambridge, the two-year-old Actors’ Shakespeare Project (ASP) will present workshops specifically targeted to underserved populations located near two Cambridge venues where productions will be mounted. ASP identified organizations serving the neighborhoods near the Cambridge Family YMCA and the Cambridge Multicultural Arts Center and will work with teen, adult and senior groups at the East End House, the Salvation Army, the Cambridge YWCA, and the YMCA. ASP’s Executive Producer Sara Stackhouse explained, “We seek to break down barriers by providing workshops, tickets, talk-backs and fellowship with our neighbors. All of these organizations serve individuals who seek a deeper connection and understanding of themselves, our community and our culture. We hope our relevant, personal approach to Shakespeare’s brilliant human dramas will help forge these connections and deepen understanding amongst our Cambridge neighbors.”

Martin Luther King Jr. Open School received funding for the Visions of Community Mural. The King Open School is in the second year of a school-wide arts mural project involving students, staff, families and the surrounding community. “The primary goal of this project is to strengthen the recently combined school community of King Open School, the former Harrington School and Ola, a Portuguese/English bilingual program” explains Kathi Tighe, the King Open Arts Committee Co-Chair. “The Mural Project is a direct result of a requests by members of the expanded school to unify the new community through a shared art experience.” Noted Cambridge muralist David Fichter is working with the students to design murals that reflect the neighborhood people, places and stories.

The Cambridge Community Chorus received support for the first work commissioned by the group. Argentinean composer Luis Bacalov has composed a choral work in four languages that expresses the Chorus’ dedication to the diversity of Cambridge, to be presented at Sanders Theater in May 2006. The Chorus, composed of 180 singers-volunteers, was formed 15 years ago to allow anyone who loves to sing the opportunity to take part in choral performance.

The Cambridge Arts Council will be hosting a public reception to recognize all 27 grant recipients at the City Hall Annex on Monday, February 13th. Information displays will be on view throughout the day, and a reception will take place from 6pm-8pm. The CAC Grant Awards Celebration is free and open to the public. Also on display in the CAC gallery will be an exhibition related to Public Art/Moving Site, an innovative traveling public art project presented in three New England states from January to June 2006. The first of three installations taking place in Cambridge is “Pamplona, inside,” an installation of DeWitt Godfrey’s monumental steel forms as well as a large-scale drawing. A second installation at the Cafe Pamplona at 12 Bow Street in Harvard Square, places steel cylinders two to seven feet in diameter in the courtyard of the cafe.

The 2006 Grant Review Panel consisted of thirteen Cambridge-based arts professionals who were nominated based on expertise in the arts and involvement in the Cambridge community. The 2006 Grant Panel members were: Rosanna Yamagiwa Alfaro, David Bass, Mili Bermejo-Greenspan, Catherine D’Ignazio, Danielle Georges, Adam Gooder, Joan Green, Hiroko Kikuchi, Kaela Lee, Henry Lussier, Timothy Merton, Ken Pierce and Tracy Heather Strain.

Grant recipients for 2006:

Actors’ Shakespeare Project: Neighborhood Projects A series of partnerships between the Actors’ Shakespeare Project and four Cambridge neighborhood organizations with under-served populations, to share artistic explorations of Shakespeare’s plays.

Kerrie Bellisario: Cambridge Code/x Support for Code/x, a temporary public art project in which coded messages will appear in public spaces around Cambridge, resulting in an exhibit of photomurals, sculpture and a catalog.

Beyond the 4th Wall: Children’s Theatre Program An after school theatre program for children at Graham and Parks School, culminating in a performance for the Cambridge community.

Nell Breyer: RE:actions An interactive video display at the Harvard Square information kiosk that tracks and transforms pedestrians movement in real-time.

Caitlin Corbett Dance Company Support for presentation of new and repertory work in 2006, and a free workshop and demonstration open to the public.

Chhandam Institute of Kathak Dance: Chitresh Das Residency 2006 Chhandika will host renowned kathak dance master Pandit Chitresh Das for a residency that will include workshops at Cambridge public schools.

Callithumpian Productions: Sonic Experiment Series Experimental music series uniting contemporary classical music with improvisation and electronic music at the Zeitgeist Gallery.

Cambridge Arts Council: Public Art/Moving Site CAC will host public art installations, performances and exhibitions by three artists, as part of a touring public art program presented in three New England states.

Cambridge Community Chorus: World Premiere Concert Presentation of new choral work entitled Psalm, commissioned by the Cambridge Community Chorus from renowned Argentinean composer Luis Bacalov, performed in English, Spanish, Hebrew and Latin.

Cambridge Multicultural Arts Center: Cambridge Schools Arts Exhibition CMAC hosts an annual exhibition of artwork created by K-12 students from all of Cambridge’s public schools.

The Community Art Center: DIYDS National Youth Film Festival National festival of youth produced films, run by teens, providing a forum for their ideas and work to reach a wider audience.

Community Arts Advocates, Inc.: Street Artists Photojournalism Project Photo documentation of street performers in Cambridge, resulting in a published book and exhibitions at Zeitgeist Gallery and the Cambridge Public Library.

Nina Hasin: The Visiting Mexican Artists Program Series of lectures and demonstrations by master Oaxacan woodcarvers in four Cambridge public elementary schools.

Karen “Mal” Malme: Still Married Performance of an autobiographical, one-woman play for high school audiences, in an effort to make schools and youth groups safer for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students.

Martin Luther King Jr. Open School: Visions of Community Mural Project Arts mural project involving K-8 students, staff, families, and surrounding community, with the primary goal of unifying recently combined school communities.

MIT Catalyst Collaborative: CCMIT Collaboration between MIT and Underground Railway Theater that aims to provide the public with a better understanding of our increasingly scientific and technological world.

Passim Folk Music & Cultural Center: Culture for Kids Free interactive, educational events with music, dance, art and cuisine of an American or international culture, for children ages 8-12.

Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra: Back to Classical Supplements the music programs at Cambridge Rindge & Latin High School by providing free lessons, coaching, demonstrations and an open rehearsal at CRLS.

Tapestry: Bridges: 2 Traditions of Song Collaboration between Cambridge-based Tapestry and the Latvian ensemble Putni, both internationally acclaimed women’s vocal ensembles.

Julia Thacker: Signs and Wonders, a Memoir Completion funds for a book-length memoir and support for a seminar in memoir writing at The Women’s Center.

Tunefoolery: Scholarship Program Scholarship program servicing people struggling with psychiatric disabilities to provide access to music lessons, weekly choir, ensemble coaching and workshops.

World Music: CRASHarts Dance Program Presentation of performances by national and local contemporary dance companies and master classes in Cambridge.

Ticket subsidies through the PASS program were awarded to:

Cambridge Family & Children’s Services
27 students and teachers will visit the Plimoth Plantation in April 2006.

Cambridge Rindge & Latin School Drama Fund: PASS
600 K-12 students will visit Wheelock Family Theater, Boston Lyric Opera and Museum of Fine Arts.

Prospect Hill Academy Charter School: PASS
75 students will attend a production at American Repertory Theatre.

© Cambridge Arts Council 2002-2003