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County designates Arts Foundation of Cape Cod as official arts agency

Barnstable County Commissioners · February 12, 2026

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Summary

Commissioners unanimously designated the Arts Foundation of Cape Cod as the county's official arts agency after a presentation on grant programs, pandemic recovery awards and community arts initiatives.

Barnstable County commissioners unanimously approved the annual designation of the Arts Foundation of Cape Cod as the official county arts agency on Feb. 11, following a presentation by Chris Kazarian, director of grants and communications.

Kazarian summarized the foundation’s grant work (operating since 1989), recent federal National Endowment for the Arts support and pandemic recovery grants: the foundation distributed roughly $173,000 last year and more than $830,000 since 2020, including NEA funds that supported artists and organizations. He said the designation is needed for the foundation to be eligible as a local arts agency for future competitive NEA funds and other grant opportunities.

Commissioners praised the foundation’s programs for arts access in schools, artist business development through a creative exchange, and arts‑as‑health programming for populations including people with Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. The motion to approve the designation passed by voice vote.