Special to the Record
After an extremely competitive application process, the Chelsea Cultural Council has announced it will distribute nearly $40,000 in Local Cultural Council grants to 15 local organizations and individuals to help fund vital cultural, educational, and artistic activities that enrich the lives of Chelsea residents.
“This year, the Chelsea Cultural Council received 36 applications requesting a total of $130,000 in funding—far more than we were able to fund,” said Delia Harrington, Manager of Arts, Culture & Creative Economy for the City of Chelsea. “It’s a testament to Chelsea’s creative energy, and it shows we need continued investment in arts and culture.”
The grants will fund a variety of Chelsea projects ranging from community events to educational programs that celebrate the city’s diverse cultural heritage. Below is a list of the grant recipients, their projects, and the amounts awarded.
2026 Grant Recipients:
• #popscope Urban Public Astronomy – $4,000 for Chelsea Astronomy Nights / Noches de astronomía de Chelsea
• Chelsea Black Community Inc. – $5,000 for Community Black History Month Programming
• Chelsea High School Drama Club – $1,000 for Musicians for Spring Musical
• Druyan, Ron – $1,350 for Tiny Tutti
• Eureka Ensemble Corporation – $5,000 for The Eureka–La Colaborativa Chamber Music (ECCM) Program Spring Cycle
• Friends of Mary O’Malley Park LLC – $3,536 for Kite Festival
• Jukebox Event LLC – $9,058 for Electronic Tobin
• Let It Fly Corp – $5,000 for Let It Fly Classic
• Liendo, Karina – $2,100 for Like Water for Chocolate Storytelling Series
• MUSIC Dance.edu – $600 for Hip Hop SQUARE Dance for Seniors!
• Santos, Nicole – $5,000 for 2026 Chelsea Road Race
• Shore Educational Collaborative – $5,000 for Building Beyond Boundaries: Robotics for High School Innovators
• TheatreZone, Inc. – $3,000 for Welcome Chelsea!
• Veronica Robles Cultural Center Corp – $5,000 for Chelsea’s Dia de los Muertos/Day of the Dead Community Altar
• Zabot, Devra – $2,674 for The Reel Do Over
The Chelsea Cultural Council (CCC) is a volunteer board supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council. Council members encourage culture and diversity in the City of Chelsea by funding projects in the arts, humanities, and sciences including exhibits, lectures, concerts, festivals, performances, classes, and school field trips. The CCC places an emphasis on locally-based artists and programs that have the greatest impact on the Chelsea community. Members of the Council are volunteers appointed by the City Manager for up to two consecutive three-year terms. They consist of artists, arts administrators, and other community members interested in local public arts and cultural programming. To learn more about the CCC, visit www.chelsama.gov/ccc.