Thanks to the Westwood Cultural Council for contributing this news to Westwood Minute.
The Westwood Cultural Council, part of the larger Massachusetts Cultural Council, has announced the nine individuals and organizations that are recipients of its 2025 grant awards, which will fund programs for the enjoyment of Westwood's school children and seniors, along with the wider community.
The largest Westwood Cultural Council grant awards, in amounts ranging from $900 to just under $2,000, will help fund student programming this year. The Sheehan School will have money to help pay for its annual Cultural Festival. The Integrated Preschool will have the opportunity for close-up encounters with baby animals through a visit from Barn Babies. Both students along with the community as a whole will be able to benefit the council's largest grant awarded to Westwood's Poet Laureate Lynne Viti. Dr. Viti is organizing a program of Poetry in the Westwood Schools and in the Community.
Programming targeted to seniors also is receiving funding from the cultural council. A musical program presented by Thomas Rull, as well as three programs, a lecture, an art program, and a nature walk presented by the Audubon Bird Museum will be presented at the Westwood Council on Aging. There will also be a Hip Hop Chair Dance or Seniors! program at another location in town.
All will be able to enjoy hearing Westwood Winds Community Band part because of a contribution to their 2025 season, and funds will help the Rhododendron Needlers Quilt Guild with its 40th Anniversary A Ruby Celebration quilt show.
Grant award recipients, their programs, and amount of rewards are as follows:
|
Name |
Project Title |
Grant Award |
|
Lynne Viti |
Poets in the Westwood Schools and in the Community |
$1,925 |
|
Pine Hill Elementary School PTO, Inc. |
Author Visits |
$1,500 |
|
Sheehan School PTA |
Sheehan Cultural Festival |
$1,200 |
|
Westwood Integrated Preschool |
Westwood Integrated Preschool and Barn Babies |
$900 |
|
Museum of American Bird Art at Mass Audubon |
The Art and Nature of Spring |
$900 |
|
WestwoodWinds Community Band, Inc. |
WestwoodWinds Community Band 2025 Season |
$800 |
|
Thomas E. Rull |
“A Musical Journey Through the Years” |
$450 |
|
MUSIC Dance.edu |
Hip Hop Chair Dance for Seniors! |
$280 |
|
Rhododendron Needlers Quilt Guild, Inc. |
“A Ruby Celebration” Quilt Show |
$265 |
Westwood Cultural Council notes that the grants were awarded based on the qualifications of the group or individual seeking the grant and the benefit to the community.
The Council will be accepting applications in the upcoming fall for the 2026 grant cycle. For more information go to www.mass-culture.org.
Updated March 30, 2025 at 12:12 p.m.
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