Berkshire Organizations Awarded Cultural Council Grants

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Mass Cultural Council awarded $7.2 Million to 394 nonprofit cultural organizations statewide for operating support, many from Berkshire County.
 
This funding provides unrestricted operating support to the recipients through two programs, Operating Grants for Organizations and the Cultural Investment Portfolio.
 
In Berkshire County:
 
Adams
  • Susan B. Anthony Birthplace Museum: $9,000  
 
Great Barrington
  • Center for Peace Through Culture: $14,700
  • The Du Bois Freedom Center: $9,000
 
Lenox
  • Ventfort Hall Association: $15,300
 
Pittsfield
  • Berkshire Film and Media Collaborative: $9,000
  • Kids 4 Harmony: $12,200
  • Roots Rising: $9,100
 
As the Commonwealth’s independent state arts agency, Mass Cultural Council is charged with bolstering the creative and cultural sector, thereby advancing economic vitality, supporting transformational change, and celebrating, preserving, and inspiring creativity across all Massachusetts communities.
 
Mass Cultural Council has long provided unrestricted operating support to cultural organizations through the Cultural Investment Portfolio. First launched in 2009, this program provides multi-year grants to cultural nonprofit organizations that provide public programs in the arts, sciences, and humanities. Following the adoption of the Agency’s new equity plans in 2021, the Agency paused applications to conduct a review of the program.
 
The result of this review was the decision to sunset the Cultural Investment Portfolio and launch a new organizational support grant program for cultural nonprofits, Operating Grants for Organizations.
 
In designing Operating Grants for Organizations, the Agency solicited feedback from key stakeholders and the cultural sector at large to ensure that the values that are important to grantees would be maintained, while also centering equity in the evaluation and program revisions.
 
FY25 is the first round of investment through Operating Grants for Organizations.
 
Mass Cultural Council is awarding unrestricted operating support to 56 more organizations in FY25 than FY24. In total, 155 organizations will receive funding through the Operating Grants for Organizations program, in addition to 239 organizations that will continue to receive funding through the Cultural Investment Portfolio.
 
Funding lists detailing the organizations receiving FY25 support from Operating Grants for Organizations and the Cultural Investment Portfolio are available online.
 
In this first round of Operating Grants for Organizations, when reviewing the 155 grantees, Mass Cultural Council notes that:
  • 129 are receiving operating support from Mass Cultural Council for the first time
  • 54 are BIPOC-Centered Organizations
  • 66 voluntarily participate in the Card to Culture Program
Organizations receiving awards from the Operating Grant for Organizations program expressed support for the new program.
 

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Hinsdale OKs Police Department Audit After Fatal Shooting

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

HINSDALE, Mass. — The town has approved $25,000 for an administrative review of the police department, more than two months after police fatally shot 27-year-old Biagio Kauvil during a mental health crisis. 

Town Administrator Robert Graves said the shooting on Jan. 7 is not the only focus of the audit, and it will be several months before the Select Board receives a final report. 

During a special town meeting on March 11, an article appropriating $25,000 from free cash for an independent consultant to conduct a professional evaluation and audit of the Town's Police Department was approved. The audit includes a review of the department's policies, protocols, operations, and procedures, and concludes with a written report. 

"The Berkshire County District Attorney's Office and Massachusetts State Police are investigating the shooting, and we await their conclusions.  As we look to move forward, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, our insurance company (MIIA/Cabot Risk), and our legal counsel have recommended that the town hire an independent law enforcement consultant or firm to conduct a comprehensive administrative review of our police operation," Graves wrote in an email to iBerkshires on Friday. 

"This event is not their focus; they will assess the overall operation. We want a written assessment of our police operation's strengths and weaknesses to help Hinsdale make future changes and improvements." 

He said after completing the procurement process and signing a contract with a reputable consultant or business, it will most likely be several months before the Select Board receives the final report. 

"Still, it will help the town and police department move forward," Graves wrote. 

Last weekend, family and friends of Kauvil stood in Park Square asking for justice. A flier for the standout reads "Biagio was killed by police while experiencing a mental health crisis. Now, over seven weeks later, authorities have not yet provided any updates.

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