By Theresa Knapp 

As part of its 2023 grant cycle, the Millis Cultural Council has awarded the following grants for a total of $8,456 in funding. 

“One of the significant differences this year is we granted a few awards to our [high school] seniors and, to the extent we could diversify our offerings, we tried to do that,” says Jen Zarutskie, Chair of the Millis Cultural Council. 

The recipients, and their projects, include: 

Amy Adams, Painting Venus

Cynthia Arguijo, Mural Senior Project

Davis R. Bates III, A Celtic Celebration: Performance for Seniors

Charles River Chorale Inc., Charles River Chorale Spring Concert

Charles River Sinfonietta Inc., Performing Chamber Music for Millis Cable TV stations and live concerts at Millis Public Library

Amany Ferrimy, Screen Printing Senior Project

Friends of Niagara Firehouse Inc., Niagara Coffee Haus 2023 Concert Series

Scott Martell, Magic Show by Scott

Pamela Means, Pamela Means presents The Power of the Protest Song: Our Shared History and Present Day 

Theatre Group of Millis Inc., Spring Broadway Musical – Mary Poppins

Town of Millis, Paint Party with Tatianya Keating

Town of Millis, Summer Concert Series

Kayla Walsh, Selkie (Senior Project to Support METG Competition) 

Robert Zammarchi, Yellow 45

Programming will take place throughout 2023 and will kick off with a magic show at the library on Feb. 21 during public school vacation. Other town-wide events will include the annual art show, sponsored by the Millis Cultural Council, in June.

“The Cultural Council is important to the community because it brings arts and culture programs to our kids and our seniors [citizens]…and we provide additional funding where there might not be any,” says Zarutskie.  

The Millis Cultural Council is currently seeking board members. If interested, email [email protected]. 

According to www.massculturalcouncil.org, in Massachusetts, public funding for the arts, humanities, and sciences is provided through a central state agency, the Mass Cultural Council, and through a network of Local Cultural Councils that serve every city and town in the state. LCCs also receive support for programs from donations, fundraising events, and their local municipality. The Local Cultural Council (LCC) Program was established in 1982 and was overseen by the Massachusetts Arts Lottery Council until 1990 when it merged with the Massachusetts Council on Arts and Humanities to form the Mass Cultural Council.