The University Art Museums has received a matching grant of $15,000 from the Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC).

The grant was awarded through the MCC's Organizational Support Program. The funds will be used to support public outreach programs at the Art Museums in conjunction with special exhibitions. State grants are awarded through a competitive process. The grant signifies that the Art Museums provides the highest level of quality in its programs, community service, and administrative ability.

"We are honored to have been recognized for a second time by the Massachusetts Cultural Council as an organization that supplies quality public programming to the community," said James Cuno, Elizabeth and John Moors Cabot Director. "The programs that will benefit from these funds are directed toward the general public: such as concerts, lectures, and seminars held in conjunction with special exhibitions at the Art Museums and which highlight local artistic talent. Programs which target elementary and secondary school students and teachers will also benefit from these funds which will include teachers' and children's workshops."

The MCC has a budget of $14.7 million for fiscal year 1998. Its funds reach every community in Massachusetts. The mission of the MCC is to promote excellence, education, access, and diversity in the arts, humanities, and interpretive sciences in order to improve the quality of life for all Massachusetts residents and contribute to the economic vitality of our communities. The nonprofit cultural industry has a $2.56 billion economic impact in the state.