About the Amesbury Cultural Council

The Amesbury Cultural Council is a volunteer municipal board, which means our operating procedures are closely linked to those of the City of Amesbury, as well as those of the Massachusetts Cultural Council. We are always looking for new members to help support our local arts community.

What We Do

The ACC is a Local Cultural Council (LCC), one of 329 LCCs throughout the state of Massachusetts. This program, established in 1982, empowers towns and municipalities to provide financial support to artists, creators, educators, and cultural influencers in their own communities. The Massachusetts LCC program is the largest of its kind in the country.

Our primary purpose is to award and distribute cultural grant funds provided by the State of Massachusetts to local applicants each year.
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For 30 years, the Amesbury Cultural Council has organized a city-wide tour of working artists' studios. Each November, artists, makers, and businesses throughout Amesbury and beyond open their doors to the public for two days of creativity, shopping, food, and fun for all ages.
It’s a chance to see artists and makers in their "natural habitat" — whether that's covered in paint, knee-deep in wood shavings, or tuning up their instruments.
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The Creative Community Initiative brings us back to the basics — art and culture.
Through the Creative Community Initiative, the Amesbury Cultural Council’s commitment to creative innovation and imagination will thrive, fostering a vibrant and inclusive cultural ecosystem.
Housed in our newly renovated Cultural Center, the Creative Community Initiative will offer free and accessible programming to all.
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The Amesbury Cultural Council periodically partners with the City of Amesbury to enhance and enliven our public spaces with art.
Through our own fundraising efforts or grant support, let’s paint the town together!
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Amesbury’s Poet Laureate Program was established in 2014, building upon a foundation established by local 19th-century Quaker poet and abolitionist, John Greenleaf Whittier.
The Amesbury Cultural Council is pleased to provide support to Amesbury's fifth Poet Laureate, Bryan Riley. Bryan will serve through January 2028.
Learn more.
Throughout the year, the Amesbury Cultural Council showcases the work of talented local artists in the front lobby of Amesbury City Hall. Professional, non-professional, amateur, and aspiring creators of all ages from Amesbury and surrounding communities are welcome to apply. That's right—exhibitors are not required to be Amesbury residents!
All exhibits are free and open to the public during City Hall business hours.
Please note that the Art@City Hall program is currently in a flux period due to the Amesbury City Hall move — we will let everyone know when we have updates on this program!
Learn more.
A growing segment of the Amesbury Cultural Council, we aim to create a place where young creatives thrive. We plan to enhance visibility and accessibility of youth arts programming while partnering with some of our amazing local youth art programs!
Local Resources
We do our best to maintain a constantly evolving list of community creative resources, from local art studios to music lessons!
Trying to track something down? Learn more here.

2025 ACC Officers

Co-Chair
Ann has lived in Amesbury for 30 years. An artist at heart, she is deeply involved in the local cultural scene, having served as a member of the Amesbury Cultural Council for the last two years. She also has a studio in Amesbury, where she teaches painting and exhibits her work. In addition to her artistic pursuits, she formerly worked for Our Neighbors' Table, a local food resource organization, where she contributes to making Amesbury a food secure city. Her other hobbies include biking, gardening, skiing, and travel.
Co-Chair
Sally moved into her much-loved Amesbury home in January 2015, joined the ACC in Spring 2023. She’s a performing artist who fell in love with the theater while acting in a riveting 3rd grade Arbor Day play; thereafter, she managed to find a stage no matter where life – and the Air Force – landed her. Since settling in New England, she’s played many different roles, on stage and off, with a firm commitment to the arts and its power to bring people together.
Treasurer
Joanne is one of our newest members at the Amesbury Cultural Council, but has hit the ground running with her new role. She’s an Amesbury-based mixed media artist, who is still learning to embrace the process and explore the medium every day. She formerly served as the Director of Finance & HR at the Amesbury Branch of Our Neighbors’ Table, and is a long-time finance professional, volunteer, and board member.
Secretary

Margaret is a multimedia maker who has called Amesbury home since 2019. Having served as ACC chair from 2022-2024, she thinks joining the Council is the best way to get to know Amesbury's creative scene. Aside from making things out of thread and found objects, Margaret enjoys exploring Amesbury's open spaces and planning her next off-the-beaten-path adventure.

Current ACC Members

Co-Chairs: Ann Johnson + Sally Nutt
Treasurer: Joanne Barnes
Secretary: Margaret Leahy
Amy Vander Els
Bryan Riley
Bailey Campbell
Kristen Costa
Bonnie Brady
Laura Schofield
Aimie Westphal | Library Director