Artweek Partners With Music Drives Us To Offer Grants For Spring Festival

Presented by the Highland Street Foundation and produced by the Boch Center, ArtWeek today announced it will expand its partnership with Music Drives Us to provide grants for events during its 2018 festival (April 27 - May 6). Ten recipients will be selected to receive a $500 performance grant to support the presentation of their event during ArtWeek. Events submitted before the February 28 deadline that meet the following criteria will automatically be considered for a Music Drives Us award: the event must be accepted by ArtWeek as an official event; it must be free; and it must be music and learning-based. In honor of ArtWeek's statewide expansion this year, events from across the Commonwealth will be eligible. Grant recipients will be selected and notified in late March.

"As ArtWeek expands statewide this season, we are grateful for the continued support of Music Drives Us and for the commitment the foundation has made to supporting art and cultural experiences," said Josiah A. Spaulding, Jr., President & CEO of the Boch Center. "One of the things I am most proud of is the accessibility of ArtWeek- more than 60 percent of all events are free. By offering grants to free music-based events, Music Drives Us is helping us fulfill our mission to make art and culture available to everyone across the Commonwealth."

"For a second year in a row, my foundation Music Drives Us will support ArtWeek along with the team at the Boch Center. Supporting cultural initiatives that emphasize arts in society is the heart of our mission at Music Drives Us. The cultural experiences offered during ArtWeek across the state of Massachusetts are extraordinarily important in keeping the arts alive and viable for all sectors of humanity," added Ernie Boch Jr, Founder of Music Drives Us.

Presented by Highland Street Foundation and produced by the Boch Center, ArtWeek is an award-winning, 10-day innovative festival featuring hundreds of unique and creative experiences that are hands-on, offering new ways to experience art and culture. ArtWeek was born in Boston in 2013 and recently expanded its footprint across the Commonwealth. This year, Mass Cultural Council and the Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism have joined ArtWeek as Lead Champions in this unique opportunity to shine a spotlight on the state's creative economy. ArtWeek has also secured a network of more than 60 statewide, regional and local collaborators to help promote the upcoming festival.

The final deadline to submit an ArtWeek event is Wednesday, February 28. Applications can be found at artweekma.org.

About ArtWeek - Presented by Highland Street Foundation and produced by the Boch Center, ArtWeek has become an annual award-winning innovative festival featuring hundreds of unique and creative experiences that are hands-on, interactive or offer behind-the-scenes access to artists or the creative process. ArtWeek was born in Boston in 2013 and has since expanded to serve communities across Massachusetts. Statewide partners include: Mass Cultural Council, Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism as well as Mass Center for the Book, MASSCreative, MassHumanities, MassPoetry, Music Drives Us Foundation, New England Foundation for the Arts, New England Museum Association, Young Audiences of Massachusetts and VSA Massachusetts. To learn more about our regional and local collaborators as well as about the festival and its growth, visit www.artweekma.org.

About Music Drives Us - Music Drives Us is a registered 501(c)(3), New England nonprofit organization supplying grants to music programs designed to effect positive change for people of all ages. We seek out organizations and individuals interested in using music as a tool to better the lives of people in all segments of society.

About Highland Street Foundation - Since its establishment in 1989, Highland Street Foundation has donated more than $180 million to many worthy non-profit organizations. It is committed to addressing the needs and concerns of children and families primarily in Massachusetts and California specifically in the areas of education, housing, mentoring, health care, environment and the arts. To learn more about Highland Street Foundation, please visit www.highlandstreet.org.

About the Boch Center - The Boch Center is one of the nation's leading nonprofit performing arts institutions and a guardian of the historic Wang and Shubert Theatres. As New England's largest cultural venue, the Boch Center is home to theater, classical and popular music, dance, comedy, opera, Broadway musicals, family entertainment, and more.

Located in Boston's historic Theater District, the Boch Center also offers a diverse mix of educational and community outreach initiatives, including the City Spotlights Leadership Program and ArtWeek; collaborates with artists and local nonprofit arts organizations; preserves historic venues; and acts as a champion for Greater Boston's arts and cultural community. Learn more at bochcenter.org.

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