(Syracuse, NY – Feb. 2016) CNY Arts announces the recipients of the 2016 Community Arts Grants, Arts Education Grants, and Individual Artist Commissions distributed by CNY Arts and funded by the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA).
In total, 107 projects submitted by 99 individuals and organizations were awarded $191,940 for arts projects in Central New York communities. CNY Arts’ Decentralization funding was awarded a 20 percent increase for projects this year. Six panels with representatives from Cortland, Herkimer, Madison, Oneida, Onondaga, and Oswego counties reviewed 144 applications.
“Local decision making has always been at the core of Decentralization,” said Stephen Butler, CNY Arts Executive Director. “Arts and culture are closely tied to both the quality of life and economic health of our Central New York communities, so it’s important that each county in our service area has a voice in determining which projects receive New York State support.”
This year’s applicants represent 30 artistic disciplines, from over 42 cities, towns, and villages in Central New York and the Mohawk Valley.
“It was an incredibly diverse and worthy pool. The panels were charged with making very challenging decisions, but the result is an outstanding group of awardees who are doing vital and exciting work in arts and culture within our communities.”, Butler said.
Community Arts grant awards included:
* the Salmon River Fine Arts Center in Pulaski for their Drawing Families into Art series with a $3300 award
*the Westcott Street Cultural Fair in Syracuse at $3500
*the Midtown Utica Community Center for their World Dance Workshop and Performance at $3500
* the Jordanville Public Library for their Community Music and Pageantry at $2950
* the All Things Oz Historical Foundation for the Oz-Stravaganza! In Chittenango $2550
* and the Arts at Grace in Cortland for their 2016 Concern Series funded at $3500.
There were eight funded arts education grants in five counties, and nine Individual Artist Commission winners: David Beale (Cortland), Susan Cody (Cazenovia), Laurie Crockett (Jordanville), Jim Farfaglia (Fulton), Jenna North (Utica), Jennifer Pashley (Clinton), Jessica Posner (Syracuse), Ron Throop (Oswego), and Martin Willitts Jr. (Syracuse).
For a full list of grant recipients and projects, please visit cnyarts.org/grants.