By Adam Swift
The Revere Cultural Council held a reorganizational meeting last week, laying the groundwork to accept and consider applications for Mass Cultural Council grants.
The council elected Rocky Graziano as the new chair, and Graziano quickly reviewed important dates for upcoming cultural council grant applications and review, as well as the priorities for the council when handing out the grants to potential cultural and arts programs and projects in Revere.
Graziano said it appears the local cultural council will have about $41,000 in funds from the Mass Cultural Council to disperse this year, but added that there will be more information on the exact amount at upcoming meetings.
“The application cycle will open for residents … that hit within our priorities on Sept. 2, on Thursday, Oct. 9, that’s when we need to have our financial report due, that is the deadline to submit our financial report within the system,” said Graziano.
The final grant decisions and the final report from the cultural council is due by Jan. 16 of 2026, he added.
“Priority will be given to Revere residents that benefit underserved populations and underserved groups, proposals that prioritize Revere youth, including (those) at-risk,” Graziano said.
Other priorities for proposals include those that emphasize local history, promote education and mitigation regarding local environmental issues, involve new art forms or humanities programs that would be beneficial to the community, and that focus on live rather than virtual events.
Council member Joe Heafitz said he would like to see follow up on the successes of past cultural council grant recipients.
“Perhaps in the future, we can review some of those things so (residents) will know what we do fund and have funded and would like more funding for or (have) project ideas for,” he said.
Graziano said it is something the council can look at as a requirement during the current round of funding that it receive a report from the grant recipients after the money is allocated. He added that he would also like to see some cultural council members attend the events funded through the grants.
“We want to be documenting the great work that we are hoping and we know is happening within the city as a result of money that we are able to grant,” said Graziano.
The council members also discussed bringing an intern or social media person on board to help publicize the grant process and the events and programs funded through the council.
