The New Bedford Economic Development Council awarded 23 local organizations and artists a total of $130,000 in grant money for community projects this week.
Play Arcade on Union Street received a Wicked Cool Places grant. That grant program supports projects that create inclusive community spaces.
Dounte Ruelas is a bartender and DJ at Play Arcade. He said Play will use the money to host DJ and drag performances for all ages.
“A lot of times when you go to drag shows, it's usually 21+ because it's usually at a bar,” Ruelas said. “So this is very nice for anyone under 21 who's really interested and wants to be part of it.”
Reggae on West Beach also got a Wicked Cool Places grant. The local group has been organizing free, live reggae concerts in New Bedford for the past 10 years.
Chakira Gonsalves-Elkhoury is one of the lead organizers.
“We bring fun down to underutilized parks—Hazelwood Park and the pavilion down on West Beach,” she said. “We only hire local people, local vendors, local food trucks. Even the people that we have for trash collection is all local.”
The city also gave out money through a grant program called Art Is Everywhere! One of those grant recipients was SketchyGoIchie DRAW.
Roger Andrews is an illustrator and an instructor for the program.
“We've been targeting kids in the Greater New Bedford Housing Authority,” Andrews said. “We have them come in and learn how to draw and do illustration work, but on iPads—that's kind of our hook. They get to learn art from industry professionals like myself.”
Other projects that received funding included a workshop series on repairing household items, an LGBTQ+ block party, the New Bedford Film Festival and a writing workshop for women of color.
