About the Westport Cultural Council

The Westport Cultural Council awards grants to support programs in the arts, humanities, and interpretive sciences with funding from the Massachusetts Cultural Council and the Helen E. Ellis Charitable Trust.  The Council works to foster quality cultural programs and activities that bring the community together to create, share, and inspire.  Come visit us at our new webpage:  Visit https://wptculturalcouncil.org/

Goals:

  • Celebrate and preserve Westport's diverse cultural history.
  • Increase exposure to the arts and humanities by the Westport community.
  • Support creative school programs that reach beyond the traditional scope.
  • Engage all Westport residents in cultural activities.
  • Promote good design in public places.

Did you happen to catch one of the documentary films at Weatherlow Farms this summer? Or the music on a summer evening at the Westport Town Farm with our river, green fields, and stone walls as a lovely backdrop?

Did you see the inspiring collection of Peace Boxes created by our high school students working with a New York artist? Have your school children explored real works of art by Monet and Picasso in a visit to the RISD Museum in Providence? Have your kids dug in the dirt at the Handy House to find artifacts of early Westport history? These and dozens of other programs are supported and funded by grant programs administered by the Westport Cultural Council. 

Do you know us? We are enthusiastic volunteers appointed by the Board of Selectmen to oversee two unique grant programs providing vital dollars that bring art and cultural experiences to Westport.

The Westport Cultural Council is one in a network of local cultural councils serving the 351 cities and towns in Massachusetts. Through State grants, the Council is able to support local arts, science and history, funds school field trips, and sponsors local concerts and exhibitions. 

The Westport Cultural Council is unique in that it offers grants through a second grant funding source: the Helen E. Ellis Charitable Trust. Helen E. Ellis was a sculptor and dedicated educator who left an endowment to support local cultural programs for the Westport community. 

Together, these two funding programs have made it possible for the Council to award grants to more than 350 artists, historians, musicians, educators, theater groups, naturalists, and others who have helped make Westport a more vibrant and culturally rich community.

Needs Assessment

In 2014, a community survey was conducted, with assistance from Roger Williams University students, to gain a better understanding of the needs and interests of Westport residents.

Master Plan

Individual WCC members contributed to the Westport Master Planning Committee effort to emphasize the important role of the arts and humanities to life in Westport.

A creative community brings out the best in its citizens.