SAUGUS — The town’s cultural council split the nearly $15,000 it received in grant funds between more than two dozen projects, with a majority of the funds being directed to the Veterans Early Learning Center.
In all, 32 projects were funded by the council, with grants ranging in size from $190 to $2,500. The Saugus Cultural Council gets its funding from the Mass Cultural Council, which allocates money to councils across the commonwealth each year based on the size of the community they are in, annual demand for funds, and the number of applications received.
Grants were doled out as reimbursements for programs the applicant had put on, and former Chair Michael Sullivan, who resigned from his post this year, said any event that is open to the public, free, and ADA-compliant is eligible to receive funds from the council.
The VELC was the biggest benefactor for fiscal year 2023, receiving more than $5,000 for five programs, including a trip to the children’s museum, and a visit from Bonaparte the Magician. The Belmonte STEAM Academy also received funds, getting $500 for a field trip to the Boston Tea Party for third-grade students.
The Saugus Library received $3,790 for 12 programs, including a service dog project visit for teens, Summer Concerts at the Iron Works, and the McDonny Farm mobile petting zoo.
The largest single grant — $2,500 — went to the Youth & Recreation Department, a reimbursement for passes to the Museum of Science.
“It’s so expensive to run things now and there’s not a lot of money set aside for the arts and you have to go look for it,” Sullivan told The Item last year. “We’re a way to get money to the arts to support people to engage in culture and to improve the quality of life here in Saugus.”
