Representative Falzone announced grants have been awarded to the Local Cultural Councils in the district by the Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC). The awards include $34,220 for Lynn, $3,870 for Lynnfield, $5,150 for Saugus, and $5,070 for Wakefield. These grants are distributed by the Local Cultural Councisl to support a variety of cultural activities that benefit local residents. The announcement was made as part of a statewide funding program by the MCC.

Representative Falzone said, “As Chairman of the Task Force on Performing Arts, I know firsthand how crucial this funding is. Tourism is the third largest industry in our Commonwealth, bringing customers to our local businesses and good, sustainable jobs to our residents, and our cultural organizations are a big part of what attracts people to our state. I am proud to support the work of our local Cultural Councils and the MCC.”

Under Representative Falzone, the Task Force on Performing Arts has been conducting a two year study on performing arts in Massachusetts, and how the state can best promote this job-creating sector.

Belinda Fernandes, Chairwoman of the Saugus Cultural Council, commented, “In this economy, funding from the Saugus Cultural Council has been critical in helping our schools, senior center and library provide quality program that truly enrich the lives of both young and old in the town of Saugus.”

The MCC is a state agency supporting the arts, sciences, and humanities, to improve the quality of life in Massachusetts and its communities. It pursues its mission through a combination of grants, services, and advocacy for nonprofit cultural organizations, schools, communities, and artists. The grants were part of MCC’s $7 million statewide investment in the nonprofit cultural sector, which includes funding to the Cultural Investment Portfolio and the Local Cultural Council Program. Also included is funding for education in schools and communities, such as the Big Yellow School Bus, a partnership with the Bank of America Charitable Foundation and that provides $200 grants to help schools meet the transportation costs of educational field trips to cultural institutions and activities in Massachusetts.