Dover Cultural Council Annouces Eight Local Grants

Massachusetts State Senator James E. Timilty (D-Walpole) and State Representative Denise C. Garlick (D-Needham), along with Wendy Bornstein, chair of the Dover Cultural Council, have announced the award of 8 grants totaling $3,870 for cultural programs in Dover, MA. 

This year’s grant recipients are:  

• Dover Church for the 250th Anniversary Historic Music Program
• Dover Historical Society to restore and exhibit Benjamin Caryl’s 250-year-old wallet
• DSHS for the Robotics Club’s first TECH challenge competition
• Dover Council on Aging for Richard Clark’s one-person play, “Atticus”
• The Trustees of Reservations for Fall Harvest Festival at Powisset Farm
• Friends of the Dover Library for a multi-cultural music and dance series
• DSMS/DSHS Jazz Spectrum for a Concert Master Class
• Chickering PTO for Leon Mobley’s “Around the World and Home Again”
• Dover Foundation for production of “The Music Man” 

“Representing Dover for the past eight years, I have always appreciated the town’s devotion to culture and the arts,” said Senator Jim Timilty (D-Walpole). “The Dover Cultural Council has done a tremendous job promoting an atmosphere which celebrates diversity and expression in this community. Through its exhibits, youth programs, performances and celebrations, I am sure we can all recognize the hard work that goes into these projects and I am delighted to see the local council will again be able to continue this tradition of cultural enrichment.” 

“I greatly admire the Dover Cultural Council for their commitment to promoting culture and the arts in the Dover community. Through the hard work of local volunteers and these grants, the Dover Cultural Council will continue to spread the importance of the arts, sciences and humanities in Dover.” said Rep.  Denise Garlick. “ I sincerely thank everyone involved in these wonderful programs for helping to culturally enrich the Dover community.”

Local Cultural Councils such as Dover’s serve all 351 cities and towns in the Commonwealth, providing grassroots cultural funding and supporting community-based projects in the arts, sciences and humanities. 

The Massachusetts State Legislature annually funds  the intiatives through the Massachusetts Cultural Council.  

Community-level decisions about which activities to support are made by a board of town-appointed volunteers. Dover Cultural Council members are: Wendy Bornstein,  Erin Clarke Gorden, Jane Johnstone, Rose Mahoney, Sue Sheridan, Nancy Doughtery, Karen O’Brien, and Olia Lupan.   

“In these days of budget reductions everywhere, it is so exciting to be in a position to work with a great team funding new programs at the seed level that enhance Dover’s cultural fabric,” Bornstein said.

To keep track of developments and events of the Dover Cultural Society visit their Facebook page.

The Dover Cultural Council seeks applications in the fall. Information and forms are available online at massculturalcouncil.org or through Dover’s town web site: doverma.org. Applications for the next grant cycle are due October 15, 2012.