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Lexington Council for the Arts
GUIDELINES AND CRITERIA
2026 GRANT CYCLE
Date: August 27, 2025

The Lexington Council for the Arts (LCA), a Town of Lexington Committee, is pleased to announce that our 2026 grant cycle will open on September 2, 2025. All applications must be submitted online through the Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC) website by October 16, 2025. MCC will not accept late applications.

Who can apply?
Individuals, agencies, schools, nonprofits, and other organizations are eligible to apply for grants that enhance the cultural vitality of the Lexington community. All applicants must reside in or be located in Massachusetts.

What are the grant requirements?
1. The program must be related to the arts, humanities, or sciences in Massachusetts.
2. The grant must demonstrate a public benefit for the Lexington community.
3. The project may not discriminate based on age, ability, ethnicity, race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, nationality, geographic origin, or immigration, military, or socio-economic status.

Grant applications will be evaluated in terms of several review criteria:
  • Artistic or creative merit
  • Benefit to the cultural life of Lexington
  • Project design
  • Qualifications, dedication, and accomplishments of the individuals and organizations involved
  • Accessibility of the program and of the facilities being used
  • Community involvement
  • Financial need
In addition, LCA considers the following priorities when evaluating applications:
  • Priority will be given to programs and projects that benefit the broadest possible range of Lexington residents.
  • Priority will be given to both applicants who are located in Lexington and applicants whose grant project will take place in Lexington.
  • The LCA greatly values and appreciates original and creative proposals when considering new project applications.
  • The LCA is especially interested in the first-time funding of programs for both emerging artists and organizations that have demonstrated artistic merit.
  • Please note that securing a venue for proposed programs is the sole responsibility of the grant applicant. Applications with a confirmed location are preferred. 

The Lexington Council for the Arts strives to support numerous and diverse programs. Due to limited resources, our grants typically range from $250 to $1,000 per applicant/organization.

The LCA is part of a grass-roots network of 329 local arts councils, administered by 2,400 municipally appointed volunteers, serving all 351 Massachusetts cities and towns. The MCC provides state funds to cities and towns to re-grant at the local level through their Local Cultural Council (LCC) program. This LCC program is the largest grass-roots cultural funding network in the nation, supporting thousands of community-based projects in the arts, humanities, and sciences annually.

 For further information, please visit the MCC’s webpage at:
 https://massculturalcouncil.org/communities/local-cultural-council-program/
or contact LCA at [email protected]

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Email

[email protected]

Address

Lexington Council for the Arts
c/o Select Board Office
1625 Massachusetts Avenue
Lexington, MA 02420
Copyright © 2025 Lexington Council for the Arts All rights reserved.
  • Home
  • Grantee Events
  • Local Arts & Culture
  • Signature Programs
    • A Sense of Place
    • Utility Boxes
    • Go Out Doors
    • Fairy Homes
    • Dance Around the World
    • Neighborhood Haiku
  • Grant Cycle
  • Contact