The Carle Receives Grants from Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism and Mass Humanities

MOTT gave $190,000 to support the modernization of The Carle’s IT and A/V systems that will greatly enhance the visitor experience. Mass Humanities gave an “Expand Massachusetts Stories—Promises of the Revolution” grant for $20,000 in support of The Precious Things We Share, an upcoming 2027 exhibition celebrating Indigenous picture book art.

“We are grateful to MOTT and Mass Humanities for their generous support and recognition that The Carle is critical to Massachusetts’ economy, driving tourism and inspiring creative excellence,” said Jennifer Schantz, The Carle’s executive director. “These grants enable The Carle to revitalize our systems and collaborate across communities, so we can continue to tell important stories, dream big, and be a thriving arts center for the Commonwealth.”

MOTT’s Destination Development Capital (DDC) Grants provide a total of $6.34 million in funding to 65 tourism and cultural development projects throughout the Commonwealth. The DDC program supports projects that expand, construct, restore, or renovate tourism destinations and attractions across the state, strengthening regional economies and improving the visitor experience. The Carle will use its DDC grant to overhaul its IT and audio-visual systems, with projects ranging from modernizing lighting and equipment to be more energy efficient, to providing high-quality digital displays and multi-media resources.

With a special focus on the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, Mass Humanities’ “Promises of the Revolution” grants pledge a total of $600,000 in funding to 34 projects across Massachusetts. The projects supported by the “Promises” grants include public events, documentary films, museum exhibitions, and oral histories that reflect the memories and experiences of local residents past and present. The Carle’s project, The Precious Things We Share, will showcase how Native peoples around the U.S. have used art and storytelling to pursue the Revolution’s long overdue promise of life, liberty, and happiness. The Mass Humanities grant will enable The Carle to engage with tribal communities in Massachusetts on development of the 2027 exhibit and create an upcoming series of public programs.

“At Mass Humanities, we believe the Revolution belongs to all of us. We’re honored to support the work of The Eric Carle Museum to uplift the creativity and perspectives of Indigenous writers and artists through this exhibit,” said Brian Boyles, Executive Director of Mass Humanities. “We applaud Jennifer Schantz and her team for taking inclusive, meaningful steps to show how the promises made 250 years ago are still being fulfilled in Massachusetts.”

About The Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism (MOTT)

The mission of the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism (MOTT) is to promote Massachusetts as a four-season leisure and business travel destination for domestic and international travelers and contribute to the state’s economic growth. MOTT offers assistance with itinerary planning, familiarization trips, images, and photographs and offers support in providing information to the travel trade, press, and media. To plan your trip to Massachusetts, please go to visitma.com.

About Mass Humanities

Mass Humanities creates opportunities for the people of Massachusetts to transform their lives and build a more equitable commonwealth through the humanities. This program is funded in part by Mass Humanities, which receives support from the Massachusetts Cultural Council and is an affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

For further information, please contact: Amanda Domizio, Amanda Domizio Communications, 347-229-2877 / amanda@domiziopr.com