The state's cultural community, including MetroWest area museums and art programs, celebrated the news this week that most groups will get a bit more state funding this year, despite threats of cuts in Massachusetts' budget. "We went into this budget year knowing it's going to be tough," Anita Walker, executive director of the Massachusetts Cultural Council, told grant recipients at a ceremony in Boston's Old North Church. Legislators "knew that there would be belt tightening, but knew they had to make strategic investments that return to the commonwealth." The Cultural Council received an extra $361,000 in this year's budget, boosting its total appropriation to nearly $12.7 million. House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi told the gathering that art funding made good economic sense. "It really is an economic generator," DiMasi said. "People don't realize that Massachusetts is somewhere people want to go because of the heritage, history, culture, arts and music." Because of this increase in funds, grants for MetroWest centers were either the same or slightly more than previous years. "We very, very much appreciate being considered as cultural leader in arts community and we're pleased with the support," said Katherine French, executive director of Framingham's Danforth Museum of Art. French said the museum received a small organizational support grant for general day-to-day operations - $2,600 - because it does not have site control of th ...
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