MetroWest is a region where arts and culture play a vital role in creating vibrant, inclusive communities and fostering a strong sense of belonging. Through a rich mix of artistic expression, cultural traditions, historical preservation, and more, creativity connects residents to one another, helps shape the region’s evolving identity, and fuels a vibrant, thriving community.
Arts and culture bridge cultures, enrich experiences, and drive local economic growth. Through ARTbuilds MetroWest, an initiative created in partnership with the Barr Foundation’s Creative Commonwealth Initiative, the Community Foundation for MetroWest supports cultural resources by fostering collaboration, building capacity, sharing stories, and utilizing data. We are committed to nurturing an inclusive cultural landscape where everyone has access to the arts.
The arts are a vital and enriching force, adding significant value to our community and inspiring active engagement from those who participate.
The arts bring insight and empathy, and boost connections and involvement in community and civic life.
Art brings vibrancy to our places; it attracts people and investment and injects new thinking and approaches to community change.
The Community Foundation for MetroWest is working to foster dialogue among MetroWest residents regarding the region’s arts and culture landscape. The Foundation will host a series of sessions across MetroWest and virtually in the spring of 2025, aiming to engage community members in meaningful conversations. These discussions will help define arts and culture in MetroWest and identify strengths, gaps, and opportunities for improvement.
As part of its Impact MetroWest initiative, the Community Foundation for MetroWest is adding a section focused on Arts & Culture. This section will explore issues such as equitable access to arts and cultural resources and the economic impact of this sector. With this data, the Foundation and the community at large will have a greater understanding of how the arts contribute to the thriving of the MetroWest community, empowering informed decision-making to support and enhance cultural growth.
The Community Foundation for MetroWest’s Arts & Culture Grant Program invests in local nonprofit organizations that provide access to arts and cultural initiatives, supporting the Foundation’s vision of a region where these initiatives are central to cultivating vibrant communities and fostering a sense of belonging for all residents.
The Foundation is exploring additional grant opportunities, including supporting the work of arts and culture centers or hubs throughout the region.
The Community Foundation for MetroWest is proud to partner with the Barr Foundation in supporting the arts through their Creative Commonwealth Initiative, a ten-year project aimed at strengthening community foundations as key resources for the arts across Massachusetts.
The Barr Foundation chose community foundations as partners because of their unique ability to create hyper-local impact. The Community Foundation for MetroWest was selected as one of the eight community foundations in this initiative due to its longstanding commitment of arts and culture, its focus on data and storytelling to supplement and enhance its grant programing, and its dedication to elevating the arts across a diverse range of stakeholders in the community.
Caroline Murphy, Vice President of Programs and Donor Services
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Alyssa Berkson, Program Manager
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