Cambridge launches Grant Pilot for Nightlife and Entertainment Businesses (US)

The Cambridge NITES grant pilot is intended to highlight the success of Cambridge’s nightlife and entertainment industry in its covid-19 recovery by bringing 4-5 nighttime events across the city.

Funding Information

• The Cambridge NITES grant is aimed at supporting the nightlife and entertainment industry in Cambridge by providing up to $5,000 awards for outdoor, nighttime events during the month of June.

Potential Event Locations

• The purpose of Cambridge NITES is to support nightlife and entertainment throughout the city and have multiple events in different neighborhoods and areas. EODD will assist selected grantees in permitting for these events. A tentative list of event locations is below (these are subject to change based on ongoing conversations with property owners):
  • Brattle Square
  • East Cambridge Court/Yard
  • Lafayette Park
  • Palmer Street
  • Porter Square
  • South Plaza (Kendall)
  • Termeer Square (Kendall)
  • Urban Park (UP) Roof Garden
  • Vellucci Plaza

Eligibility Criteria 

• All interested Cambridge businesses and nonprofit performance organizations are encouraged to apply. However, Cambridge NITES will prioritize applicants in the following manner:
  • Tier 1: Existing nightlife and entertainment venues
  • Tier 2: Bars and restaurants currently offering live entertainment
  • Tier 3: Existing non-profit performance organizations
  • Tier 4: Bars and restaurant not currently offering live entertainment but are interested in providing live entertainment in the future

Requirement 

• All proposed events will be held in public spaces.
• All proposed events must be free and open to the public and held outside between 7-10 PM (events can be shorter than 3 hours but should be held in this window).
• Awardees will be responsible for producing the approved event before June 30, 2025.
• The EOD Division will support awardees with permitting for events in the public way.
• The EOD Division will assist in marketing Cambridge NITES as a whole; further promotion of specific events will be left to the discretion of the awardees.
• All awardees are required to submit a post-grant evaluation in order to inform future iterations of Cambridge NITES. EODD also requests that awardees share photos and other media with the City of Cambridge.

For more information, visit City of Cambridge Community Development Department.