- Stockbridge Cultural Council Seeks Applications for Grants The Stockbridge Cultural Council invites artists, cultural institutions and arts organizations to apply for FY2027 Annual Grants that support local individuals and groups. The annual grant cycle is open September 1 through mid-October.
For information, application forms and guidelines, visit the Stockbridge Cultural Council page on the Massachusetts Cultural Council website at https://massculturalcouncil.org/local-council/Stockbridge/ Applications must be submitted through the MCC website, not by mail or email. The Cultural Council’s mission is to promote a rich cultural life for residents, to support a vital local economy and to promote excellence in the arts and humanities. Emphasis is placed on education, diversity, accessibility and inclusion. For additional information, contact
- The Horse Trough is back! (See SU article, May 5, 2026Trough is back see article in SU, May 5, 2026 issue). The Horse Watering Trough, dated 1881, was fashioned out of rough-hewn, white, Alford marble. It was a gift to the village from Giovanni Albinola. Albinola, an Italian patriot, was imprisoned in Austria for his political activism in support of Italian autonomy. When released, he settled in Stockbridge. According to a document next door in the Stockbridge Library Museum and Archives, Albinola gave the gift of the horse trough as an expression of his “gratitude for the peace and hospitality he had found here [in Stockbridge].” The words carved into the face of the trough read: “Merciful Man is merciful onto his Beast, Utility is Preferable to Grandeur.”
Piece by piece, the repaired trough was returned and reassembled beginning on September 18, 2026. It traveled from Vaugn Tower’s shop in Richmond, MA., to its place on the corner of Main and Elm Streets in Stockbridge. However, there is more to come: the marble back piece that contains the waterspout has not been delivered yet.
- The Literacy Network to Honor Lee Bank at its Annual Fundraising Celebration, Let’s Celebrate: 35 Years of Transforming Lives, which will be held at Barrington Hall on Saturday, October 3, starting at 6 PM. LitNet’s annual celebration is a significant source of funding for the organization’s free, flexible, and individualized tutoring programs in English for Speakers of Other Languages, US citizenship preparation, adult basic education, and first-generation college support. LitNet has served over 300 individuals throughout 2026, 90% of whom are adults working on English language skills.
Lee Bank has been a community institution since 1852 and has supported LitNet’s programming since its inception, awarding 253 grants totaling $1,271,080 to nonprofits serving Berkshire communities.
The evening will feature authentic Brazilian BBQ catered by Octavio Nallin of Amici Restaurant and live music by Alex Torres and his Latin Orchestra. Lee Bank employees who are also LitNet learners will speak at the event along with their LitNet tutors. Limited tickets are still available. To purchase tickets or support LitNet, visit LitNet’s website at www.litnetsb.org/event .
