Cultural Council Grants, 2025

By Jeanne Randorf

June 2025

The Otis Cultural Council has awarded $10,700 of state and town funds for cultural programs to benefit Otis residents for year 2025. The funded programs are:

• Field trips for Farmington River Regional Elementary students in grades 1, 2, 5, 6 and Kindergarten

• FRRES drama program

• “Visual Frontiers” photography program for FRRES students

• “Inflatable Planetarium” all-school program at FRRES

• After-school “Theater Dance Residency” by Berkshire Pulse at FRRES

• “The Jucket’s at School” all-school music assembly

• “Reading is Magic” program at Otis Library

• Lee Middle and High School drama program

• Hip Hop chair dance for seniors at the Council on Aging (COA)

• Writing workshop by Lara Tupper at the Otis Library

• Holiday floral arrangements at the COA

•  Afternoon of music with Sarah the Fiddler at the COA

• “Notice Otis Lecture series” sponsored by the Otis Historical Commission

• David Maloof music event at the Otis Library

• Brie’s Balloons storytelling workshop for kids at the Otis Library

In addition to funding programs in Otis, we donated to programs in neighboring towns such as the Becket Arts Center free summer concert series and the “History Weekend” at the Bidwell House in Monterey.

If you have ideas for cultural programming in Otis, feel free to join any of our meetings (3rd Wed. evening of the month) or buttonhole a member and share your ideas. We love community input!