The Arlington Commission for Arts and Culture recently announced its 2026 grant recipients, each of whom reflect Arlington’s commitment to artistic excellence, cultural exchange, and civic connection. From neighborhood porches to public libraries, and from choral stages to brick walls transformed into vibrant murals, this year’s grantees showcase the power of the arts to build bridges, celebrate heritage, and foster belonging.
The Commission selected 26 projects from more than 50 submissions, totaling over $23,000 in awards to support art and culture in Arlington. Through music, dance, film, literature, photography, public art, and participatory workshops, this year’s projects will invite residents of all ages and backgrounds to create, reflect, and celebrate together.
Grant projects bringing music to the community include:
- The Philharmonic Society of Arlington Orchestra mid-winter concert “Armenia”, celebrating Armenian composers
- Menotomy Beer Hall at Arlington Town Hall over Patriot’s Day weekend, featuring a range of free musical entertainment
- The Arlington Jazz Festival this April, its fifteenth year
- I Rise: Women in Song, a collaboration of Arlington’s women’s chorus Cantilena and the Worcester Chorus Women’s Ensemble in May
- Arlington Porchfest in June, featuring over 300 musical performances
- Woyaya (We Will Get There), a Ghanaian choral residency and concert
Projects combining musical and dance performances include:
- Arlington Capoeira & Arts Encounter, immersing participants in the Afro-Brazilian art form that combines martial arts, dance, and music
- An Arabic Dance Show celebrating Middle Eastern and North African movement traditions
Numerous literary and film projects were also among this year’s grantees.
- Arlington Author Salon, gathering local writers quarterly for themed readings
- Global Voices in Verse and Global Voices Theatre Collective, featuring international poetry and live performances
- What Goes into That Pint Glass, a documentary film project exploring what it takes to serve up a pint of beer in a local taproom, with episodes released on ACMi
- Belmont World Film 23rd Annual Family Festival, featuring international films and hands-on workshops
- Bridging Minds: Science Talks for Everyone, continuing its free quarterly discussions, connecting science, culture, and society
A variety of public art projects were also among this year’s awardees.
- Go Fish!, a mural featuring 2,000+ aluminum fish hand-painted by community members, celebrating the restored herring population of the Mystic River watershed
- Stories in Flight, with an expanded participatory installation of bird-shaped artworks, inviting residents to share and preserve their family histories
- The panAFRICAproject exhibition by renowned photographer Lou Jones, including with receptions, a public talk, and engagement with high school photography students
- A Mystic Open Studio exhibit and a summer artist-in-residence program amplifying Jones’s PanAfrica Project while spotlighting Arlington-area artists
Several projects center on storytelling and shared experience.
- Stories of Hunger, Housing and Health, featuring interactive performances in partnership with housing residents and community organizations
- The Screenless Project, offering phone-free, multilingual art gatherings designed to foster connection among newcomers and longtime residents alike.
- Arlington Community Barn Dance, with afternoons of live music and movement for all ages
- Write Your Own Obituary, a reflective and often humorous workshop inviting seniors to shape their own legacies through storytelling.
- The Polka Dot Playground, a hand-puppet show for ages 3 to 8, exploring friendship, empathy, and inclusion through lively outdoor performances.
- Free arts programming for Arlington Housing Authority residents, in partnership with the Arlington Center for the Arts, offering classes ranging from chair yoga to watercolor
Funding for these local arts projects comes from the Local Cultural Council program of the Massachusetts Cultural Council, which awards $7.5 million annually to support arts and culture across the Commonwealth.
For more information about 2026 programs and events, please visit the 2026 Grantees page on ArtsArlington. The full list of projects is also available on the Mass Cultural Council website.