By Melissa Fili
MethuenLife Writer
For decades, the connection between the Methuen Cultural Council and its grant winners has been a simple mail-in application.
That all changed last month when the 2025 grant winners met face-to-face with fellow grantees and council members to talk about the impact these grants have on our community. This year, the Methuen Cultural Council awarded 25 grant recipients a total of nearly $75,000. Projects and performances will benefit Methuen children, adults and the elderly. A reception was held at the Methuen Memorial Music Hall, where the council presented each grant winner with a small trophy and gave them time at the mic to share how they’ll use this year’s financing.
For Methuen High’s 36 night-school (ALPHA) students, this grant will provide a field trip to Methuen Clean River Project headquarters, where kids will learn about the nonprofit’s garbage-removal work and the history of the Merrimack River.
“Most of these students haven’t been on a boat and don’t know about the Merrimack, plus they’ll find out what Clean River does,” explained Interim Associate Principal Matt Curran, noting this trip could spark an interest in a future environmental scientist or marine biologist.
In addition to providing lessons and classes, Merrimack Valley Music School brings music to local farmers markets, including the Methuen market held Fridays during the summer at Nevins Library.
“This is our third year for the grant; it’s an exciting way to meet musicians who perform,” said the school’s Executive Director Valerie Walton of adding live music to the Methuen market. “It’s a great way to bring music to the community.”
Walton is always looking for performers and encourages anyone interested in this paid opportunity to apply at mvmusicschool.org.
MAN Inc., is using its grant to bring Illstyle & Peace Productions, a Philadelphia hip-hop group, to the Tenney Street playground this summer. They’ll do a workshop and a performance, encouraging kids to take part.
“This is the third year we’ve had them at MAN. Our kids love them SO much!” smiled MAN Inc., founder Linda Soucy. “Kids who are shy will get up and participate. It’s great!”
Soucy said the high cost of busing makes many programs out of reach. This group’s willingness to come to the Arlington neighborhood makes sense financially as well.
Cathy Redard, who runs the Methuen YMCA, said her grant money will start a theater program.
“We already have the stage,” she said. “This will allow us to reach kids who aren’t into sports or other programs we offer.”
Other winners include various musical performances and educational re-enactors for our students and senior citizens, public art projects, and a weekly drop-in tech program that teaches seniors how to safely use iPhones and iPads.
Cultural Council Chair Jennifer Loiselle expressed gratitude that everyone could come together and celebrate the 2025 grants, and said that the council’s volunteers are driven to make a difference.
“The goal is to make the arts accessible and vibrant to everybody in the community,” she said.
Members of the Methuen Cultural Council meet on the second Tuesday of each month. Any Methuen citizen is welcome to attend the meetings either in person or via GoogleMeet. Learn more about them through their Facebook page or contact them at methuenculturalcouncil@gmail.com.
Thanks to a Methuen Cultural Council grant, the Methuen Memorial Music Hall provides Wednesday night summer concerts, fourth-graders’ educational field trips to the hall and much more. Shown are (front, right) Cultural Council Chair Jennifer Loiselle celebrating with Music Hall Trustees (from left) President Matthew Bellocchio, Janet Jaber, Shirley MacKenzie and Peter Labombarde. ML photos by Melissa Fili
Grant money allows Nevins Library to provide a plethora of programming – from writing workshops and science programs to music performances and author visits. Here (at left), Nevins’ Director Krista McLeod accepts the grant-winner honor accompanied by her daughter, Madeleine McKeon.
Thanks to a grant, KevTech owner Kevin Figueroa visits the Methuen Senior Center monthly, teaching free classes on how to safely use cell phones, iPads and other high-tech devices.
