Hadley Cultural Council Approves FY2026-2027 Priorities, Defers Direct Grant Vote

HADLEY — May 13, 2025 — Hadley Cultural Council approves FY2026-2027 grant priorities and schedules a May 27 vote on switching to a direct upfront payment system. The council, which distributes approximately $5,700 in Massachusetts Cultural Council funding each cycle, unanimously approved its local priorities for fiscal year 2026-2027 at its May 13 meeting, correcting language in priority six to read that special consideration will be given to applications submitted by Hadley residents and for events planned to take place in Hadley. Members debated adding new guideline language to rank applicants whose events have not yet taken place above those seeking retroactive funding, with one member arguing that "those who come to us and say, I already had the event in July — those are the ones that get put on the bottom." The direct grants vote, along with discussion of proposed guideline additions including a final-report requirement for repeat applicants, was continued to a brief public meeting at 6 p.m. on May 27 before the council's planned community social. The council also flagged that Massachusetts Cultural Council funding to local councils has declined in recent years, making prioritization decisions more consequential.