NAHANT — The Nahant Cultural Council has announced the allocation of $5,700 from the State, which was awarded to the council as a grant for cultural activities or events around town.

Grants are now being accepted through Oct. 16 for a broad range of projects and programs including community events/programs, field trips, performances, workshops, public art, classes, lectures, site specific projects, and other activities.

Going forward, the council reviews and approves grants based on criteria that includes programs created and sponsored by residents or town organizations. These programs cast a wide net that focuses on the arts, humanities, and science, and provide a benefit for community members.

“Nahant Cultural Council grants are a great way to support local artists and others in providing experiences that are informative, enjoyable, and unique to the community,” Council Chair Peggy Curran said.

Curran noted that the Massachusetts Cultural Council requires the council to grant those funds for programs for arts, humanities and science, which she added were “really broad categories.”

She continued, noting that the funds can provide assistance to everything from public events, school field trips, art installations, lectures, concerts, and more. “It’s very broad, but it’s designed to add on to the cultural environment of the town,” she said.

“This money is allocated each year, and each state has a grant priorities and criteria, which applicants must meet. … The Nahant Cultural Council has seven members, so we each look over every application and review them for eligibility,” Curran said. “From there, we award the grants based on the funds that we have.”

Curran elaborated on how the allocated funds in years past have helped different organizations and causes around town.

She explained that the Cultural Council used some of the funds to bring a photography exhibit to life.

“It was about the history of Nahant and its residents, and we had over 300 photographs submitted by residents and former residents, which we had displayed at our Community center over the July 4 weekend in 2023,” Curran noted. 

Other ventures saw the council funding programs for Johnson Elementary School, concerts for the community to enjoy, and library events.