News

Worcester, MA, March 6, 2023 – The EcoTarium Museum of Science and Nature is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a pandemic recovery grant in the amount of $75,000 from the Mass Cultural Council. This grant is part of a larger investment in the creative and cultural sector of Central Massachusetts which will be announced during a press conference and celebration at the EcoTarium on March 13, 2023.

“The Mass Cultural Council is an important partner to the EcoTarium and other museums and cultural institutions across the state,” said Noreen Johnson Smith, President and CEO of the EcoTarium. “We are grateful for the Recovery Grant funding to address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our organization. This grant will help us continue our mission to inspire a passion for science and nature in visitors of all ages.”

The announcement of the grant will take place during a press conference and celebration at the EcoTarium on March 13, 2023. Mass Cultural Council Executive Director Michael J. Bobbitt, regional state and local elected officials, and cultural sector stakeholders will join grant recipients from Central Massachusetts for a brief speaking program, photo-op, and celebration of this important investment.

More than $3.9 million in pandemic recovery funds will be distributed to cultural organizations, artists, creatives, culture bearers, and gig workers across the region to support recovery from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Our two Cultural Sector Recovery grant programs represent the largest investment Mass Cultural Council has ever made,” said Michael J. Bobbitt, Executive Director, Mass Cultural Council. “It is with great pleasure and pride that we celebrate nearly $4 million in pandemic recovery monies being equitably distributed throughout the creative and cultural sector of Central Massachusetts. These awards will help propel the sector forward economically and chart the recipients’ paths towards growth.”

During the event, attendees will have the opportunity to learn more about the recovery grant programs and hear from grant recipients and cultural sector stakeholders in Central Massachusetts. The celebration will be a testament to the importance of the creative and cultural sector in the region and the resilience of the people who make it thrive.