FOTA is pleased to be able to offer financial support for projects and purchases that are not funded by the school budget. Visual art, theater, and music educators who teach at any of the schools in the Hamilton-Wenham Regional School District are invited to submit grant proposals, using the downloadable form below. FOTA considers grant proposals throughout the year.

Click here to download the FOTA grant proposal form (PDF).

Grants & Support of Student Activities

2023-24

  • Elementary Chorus Repertoire - $700

  • Buker/Winthrop Percussion Instruments - $1,584.85

  • Winter Concert Musicians- $875

  • Visiting Artist for the High School - Wire by Ryan - $1,490

  • Support for MRMS production of The Drowsy Chaperone - $650

  • Cape Ann Museum - in school field trips for all 4th graders - $400

  • Spring Concert Musicians - $1,200 - pending school committee approval

  • MRMS METG One Act Support - $700 - pending school committee approval

2022-2023

  • Music Alive! Subscription - MRMS Music Classes - $ 299

  • HWRHS Harvest Concert Sound - $ 1,400

  • HWRHS Theater Scholarships - $ 1,750

  • HWRHS Oaxacan Artist Visit - $ 725

  • HWRHS/MRMS Professional Musicians for Winter Concerts - $1,200

  • MRMS Charlie Brown Musicians $ 2,800

  • MRMS Charlie Brown Costumes and Supplies $ 616.91

  • All State Band Registrations $ 470

  • Cape Ann Museum (CAM) Field Trip for all fourth graders $ 665

  • HWRHS French Horn $ 3,969

  • Professional Musicians for MRMS Spring Concert $1,200

  • Shirts for HWRHS Band/Chorus competition $ 674

  • Manguito, Arts for Learning MA, Friends of Cutler Cultural Festival $ 1,250

  • MTI Rights for fall HWRHS Musical Merrily We Roll Along - $400

  • High School Senior Scholarships - $2,500

2022

  • USB adapters for MIDI-controller to iPad compatibility - Middle School Music - $725

  • All State Band Award - $235

  • Lizzie Borden Theater Experience - High School Forensics - $895

  • BSO Open Rehearsal trip for high school students- $1,512

  • Cutler Cultural Night - hip hop performance $1,608

  • High School Senior Scholarships - $2,000

2021

  • Soundtrap Software - Middle and High School Music - $608

  • Golden Goose Awards - Middle School Theater Department - $315

  • Grooversity Performance - Cutler School 5th graders - $980

  • Montserrat Pre-College Program - scholarship awarded to 2 high school students - $3,950. Funding was made possible through FOTA's partnership with the Katherine Bradford Foundation and Montserrat College of Art.

  • Hamilton Wenham Gives Back - High School Visual Arts - $300

  • High School/Middle School Winter Concert Musicians - $1,500

2020

  • Boston Playwrights: High School Theater Department - $500

  • Boston Lyric Opera Assembly - Middle School Music Department - $500

  • High School/Middle School Winter Concert Musicians - 800

  • High School Musical Support - Musicians for Mamma Mia - High School Theater Department - $3,000

  • BCW Choir Shirt - Elementary Music Department - $350

  • Elementary Music Student Support - $543

  • Montserrat College of Art College Summer Program - scholarship awarded to one high school student - $250

2019

  • Buker Elementary School - Illustration Workshop Co-Funded with Friends of Buker - $1500

  • DECA Poster Printing - Designed by HWRHS Art Student $264

  • Elementary Band/Vocal – Student activity support - $611

  • High School Musical Support (Professional musicians, mechanical cow, costumes, fog machine) - $2587

  • High School/Middle School Winter & Spring Concert Musicians - $1200

  • Montserrat College of Art Fall Program Scholarship – $150

  • Tuba/High School Band - $3000

  • Ukulele Melee - Cutler String Jam Headliner – $400

2018

  • 5 Yamaha Marching Drums & Harnesses/High School - $5094

  • Boston Playwright’s Workshop – $500

  • Concert Closet/Middle School - $111

  • Cyc Curtain/Ferrini Dramatics Center - $1377

  • Elementary Band/Vocal – Student activity support - $1072

  • High School/Middle School Concert Musicians - $600

  • High School Theater - Student activity support

  • Montserrat College of Art Fall Program Scholarships – $450

  • Montserrat College of Art Summer Program Scholarship – $1375

  • Ukulele Melee - Cutler String Jam Headliner – $400

2017

  • 25 Ukuleles/Middle School - $697

  • Boston Playwright’s Workshop – $500

  • Elementary Band/Vocal – Student activity support – $1087

  • Elementary Chorus Handbells – $94

  • High School & Middle School Band Field Trip Assistance - $1250

  • High School Theater - Student activity support - $1000

  • Montserrat College of Art Fall Program Scholarships – $450

  • Montserrat College of Art Summer Program Scholarship – $1375

  • Ukulele Melee - Cutler String Jam – $400

2016

  • Digital camera – $2039

  • Walkie Talkies for theatre – $120

  • Elementary Band/Vocal – Student activity support – $770

  • Montserrat Scholarship – $1375

  • Elementary Chorus candles – $138

  • MRMS choir folders (printing) – $46

  • HS Musical pit orchestra – $1000

  • MRMS Guitars – $575

  • Boston Playwrights Workshop – $500

  • Hearts and Flowers desserts – $86

  • Elementary Ukulele Melee – $400

2015

  • Boston Playwright’s Theatre $500

  • Montserrat College of Art Summer Program $1250

  • West Music – drums, Buker $1219 (in partnership with Sonia Pryor)

  • Piano Repair $2300

  • Elementary Band/Vocal – Student Activity Support $630

  • Remembering Jennifer Maio $100

  • HS Musical – Pit Orchestra $1,000

Sonja Pryor Music Fund

In 1992, Sonja (Sonny) Prior retired as head of the music department for the HWRSD.  Many parents were grateful to her for the wonderful experiences in music she provided the children, and Alton Klebe, Dorie and Bryant Barnard started the Sonja Pryor Fund to commemorate her work and to continue to support music in the HWRSD.

The fund was first administered through the group Pro Musica, which then became the Friends of Fine Arts, and is now the Friends of the Arts.  FOTA is careful to fund only requests from music departments from the Sonja Pryor fund.  Grants are awarded once each year in the spring and can be used to help support music at any level in the schools.  Following is a listing of grant funded from this charitable resource.   

  • 2018

  • 2017

  • 2016 – Elementary Ukulele Melee – $400, Vivaldi musicians for concert performance – $150, MRMS choir folders – $450

  • 2015 – West Music – drums, Buker $1219 (in partnership with FOTA)

  • 2014 – Lobby Stanchions to be used for Performances – $830.25

  • 2013 – Band Parade Banner – $880

  • 2011/2012 – Ferrini Grand Piano Restoration – $1,490

  • 2010 – Yamaha Clavinova Digital Piano Repair – $545

  • 2007/2008 – Middle School Music Stands – $1,592

  • 2006 – Casio PX110 Digital Piano – $578

  • 2005 – Chimes – $439

  • 2004 – Marimba – $600