Creative Experiences Grants Available to Support Cultural Activities

Amy Chu, Program Officer

A woman with a streak of blue face paint hands a basket of sunflowers to a young girl wearing a hat adorned with small flowers. It's a sunny day, and the woman and the three children around her are dressed in breezy summer clothing.
The 2nd Annual Blueberry Jam was hosted by a partnership between four different farms to highlight the berry jams of Westport, MA. The festival brings the community together through music, art, and food. Photo: Courtney Rocha.

Mass Cultural Council believes that creativity plays a crucial role in engaging communities across Massachusetts. We are proud to announce the opening of FY27 Creative Experiences, one-year grants of $2,500 or $5,000 to support festivals, residencies, performances, and other cultural activities that inspire, educate, and celebrate.

This is the second year the Agency is offering Creative Experiences grants. The first year drew 1,551 applications from nonprofits, schools, for-profits, municipalities, and community groups. You can read more about previously-funded Creative Experiences.

As part of Mass Cultural Council’s ongoing work to build more accessible and equitable programs, we’ve updated Creative Experiences so that:

  • Creative businesses — including sole proprietors and single member LLCs — can apply if they have an eligible fiscal agent.
  • All eligible Creative Experiences projects can apply for $2,500. Projects with a mission, values, and activities that are primarily based in the arts, humanities, and sciences are able to request $5,000.

The application deadline is April 30, 2026 at 11:59pm (ET).

Program Guidelines and FAQs are now available.

Register for an information session on March 10, 2026. The session will be recorded and published on Mass Cultural Council’s YouTube Channel.

Virtual office hours and staff support are also available.

Learn More About Applying to Creative Experiences