WORCESTER—The Worcester Arts Council and the city is dishing out $250,299 in grants to 54 local artists and organizations in 2026, a broad investment that touches nearly every corner of the city’s cultural life — from neighborhood festivals and youth workshops to major performances and artist fellowships.
Announced Wednesday, the awards follow a competitive review process that drew 163 applications, including 21 fellowship and 142 project proposals. Between October and December, council members evaluated submissions based on public benefit, artistic merit, organizational capacity, budget feasibility, innovation and alignment with community-informed funding priorities.
“Arts and culture are a powerful force in preserving our history,” said City Manager Eric Batista in a statement. “Creatives tell our stories, shape our identity, and reflect the diverse voices that make our community strong. I am deeply grateful to our city’s artists, creatives and cultural organizations for showcasing who we are while envisioning what we can become.”
The council received $236,500 from the Mass Cultural Council and an additional $10,000 from the Greater Worcester Community Foundation to support fellowships, with remaining funds covering marketing, surveys and an annual reception for awardees.
“We are deeply grateful to MCC and GWCF for their continued investment in the arts,” Cultural Development Officer Fabian Barracks said in a statement. “They consistently advocate for increased state and private funding to support local cultural councils. Their leadership helps ensure the long-term vitality of arts and culture in our communities.
“We are especially thankful to the volunteer council members and staff whose time, care and thoughtful review of applications ensure a fair and meaningful process. Their combined efforts ensure that resources are thoughtfully distributed to artists and organizations making a meaningful impact in our community.”
Four Worcester artists—Yona Browne, Obiamaka Igwenagu, Cesar Rodrigues and Nicole “Nic” Jean Turner—each received $5,000 fellowships.
Project grants, most in the amount of $5,000, span a wide range of programming. They include youth and cultural initiatives such as 508 C.H.E.E.R.S Inc’s Youth Cultural Cooking Program: Preserving Heritage Through Food and Art, Adaptive Recovery Teaching Incorporated’s Community Wellness Theater, the African Community Education Program’s drumming and dancing lessons, ArtsWorcester’s Future Arts Workers of Worcester, Love Your Labels’ Threads Youth Fashion & Identity Program, and the Worcester Writers’ Collective’s weekly writing workshops.
Music and performance projects feature prominently, with support for Crocodile River Music’s African Music Series 2026, the Downtown Worcester Business Improvement District’s Out to Lunch Festival & Farmers Market, the Massachusetts Symphony Orchestra’s 75th anniversary Fireworks Concert at Institute Park, Music Worcester’s new choral work FREDERICK, Seven Hills Symphony’s community concerts, Tumbao Latin Dance’s Get up & Dance, WICN Public Radio’s Emerging Artist Series Plus, the Worcester Children’s Chorus “One Voice! Youth Choral Festival” and free community concerts at Mechanics Hall through the Worcester County Mechanics Association.
“These art council grants help safeguard our city’s cultural traditions while empowering artists to create new work that enriches our community for generations to come,” added Batista. “As we navigate unprecedented challenges, this investment strengthens the creative ecosystem by fostering sustainability, equity and long-term impact for both artists and the communities they serve.”
Visual and multidisciplinary arts are also represented, including the Black Artist Collective of New England’s Black History Month Art Exhibit, Art in the Park, the Worcester Center for Crafts’ Hot Night in the City 2026, Open Door Arts’ Open Door Gallery at the Worcester Art Museum, and the Worcester Art Museum’s Free Day: Arms and Armor Celebration. Other funded projects range from Dunbar Joel’s free direct-to-film T-shirt workshops and Nishkam Media’s Worcester Youth Filmmaking Workshop to Wakabayashi Mihoko’s Seed to Fashion, Matthew Wasser’s Virtual Lighting Gallery Show and the YWCA’s Worcester Wall of Women.
Several grants support culturally specific festivals and community gatherings, including the Massachusetts Organization of African Descendants’ Worcester African Festival, Refugees & Immigrants Cultural Empowerment Massachusetts’ cultural program and Worcester Night Market, Guardians of Traditions’ “Weaving Worcester’s Cultures Through Kites,” and the Worcester Refugee Assistance Project’s “Books, Beats and Brushes.”
Smaller awards were also distributed, including $4,780 to Michelle Koza’s Gathering Ground, $4,500 to the Boys and Girls Club of Worcester for Play It Forward, $3,800 to Wakabayashi Mihoko, $3,000 to Christon Carney’s Musical Inspirations: The Voices We Carry, $2,800 to Joshua Swalec’s Bladesmiths of the Blackstone Valley, $2,500 to Kristen Wagner’s MILK, $2,000 to First Unitarian Church’s spring concert series, $1,019 to Becca Pasley’s Bicycle Noise Creation Machine and $900 to Robert Wilson’s Hard Times Come Again No More.
The current Worcester Arts Council is chaired by Chris Michelotti, with Victor Rivera serving as vice chair and Erin Michelotti as treasurer. Cassie DeMarzio is secretary, and members include Amanda Dye, Jennifer Griffin Gaul, Angelique Webster and Hasib Mahmud, with Meg O’Rourke serving as staff liaison. There is one open seat on the council.
