The Umbrella Receives $85K Makerspace Grant

Hosts Lt. Gov, MA Development, and Dozens of Awardees

 On Tuesday, October 30, The Umbrella Community Arts Center was honored to host dozens of artists and innovators, Massachusetts Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, and grantmakers from MassDevelopment at a special ceremony in our newly renovated ceramics studios. The gathering was a ceremony for announcing $2,200,387 in Collaborative Workspace Grants awarded by MassDevelopment to 28 organizations from across the Commonwealth.

Umbrella Community Arts Center Executive Director Jerry Wedge opened the ceremony, along with the Lt. Governor, MassDevelopment President and CEO Lauren Liss, Senator Michael Barrett, Representative Cory Atkins, and Concord Town Manager Christopher Whelan. The third round of such grants, the awards were targeted to projects that strengthen community-based innovation and entrepreneurship. Through its first two rounds of grants, the Collaborative Workspace Program had earlier provided $3 million in funding to more than 50 organizations for the planning, development, and build-out of different types of collaborative workspaces.

In addition to hosting the event, The Umbrella received a grant in the amount of $85,000 to support the development of major new makerspace studio, a significant part of the new addition under construction at 40 Stow Street. In particular, the grant monies are intended for use in the buildout and equipment purchases for a digital arts and design room, makerspace classroom, fabrication lab, and production shop.

The Umbrella extends both congratulations to our fellow awardees and gratitude to Mass Development and the Barr Foundation for their support.

Read the full release and learn more about the Collaborative Workspaces initiative here.