North Adams Poet Finalist in MCC’s Artist Fellowship Program
Click to read Monica Raymond’s Poem
About the Program:
The Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC) has recognized more than 60 Massachusetts artists for creating work of exceptional quality in a range of disciplines. MCC’s Artist Fellowship Program will award $7,500 unrestricted grants to 39 artists, and distinguish 24 others as finalists. These outstanding artists were selected from 1,800 applicants in the disciplines of choreography, drawing, painting, fiction/creative nonfiction, poetry and traditional arts.
MCC’s Artist Fellowships recognize the unique contribution made by artists to the cultural vitality of the Commonwealth. The grants provide direct assistance to Massachusetts artists to recognize excellence and creative ability, and to support further development of their talents.
A recent study by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) found that Massachusetts has the third highest number of artists per capita in the nation, trailing only New York and California. “The NEA study reaffirms the vital importance of artists to Massachusetts,” says MCC Executive Director Anita Walker. “These fellowships are one way for the public to celebrate and support the individual artist, the backbone of our state’s creative economy.”
