THE BLUEPRINT:
NYS distributes over $63M statewide to more than 2,400 arts organizations and artists, including on Long Island
More than half of the organizational grants went to nonprofits with budgets under $500,000, expanding support for smaller community arts groups
New $80M Arts Capital Projects Fund now accepting applications
For Port Washington–based Landmark on Main Street, a $10,000 grant from the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) is intended to help the organization enrich lives through performing arts and community services as well as educational and social programs.
For the Children’s Museum of the East End, a $40,000 NYSCA grant is designed to help the organization with its mission, which includes sparking imagination and fostering learning for children of all backgrounds and abilities.
These awards are just two of more than 2,400 distributed by NYSCA, totaling over $63 million to support nonprofit arts and culture organizations and individual artists across New York State. The grants were announced Tuesday.
“New York’s arts and culture sector is a cornerstone of the state’s identity, and we’re making bold investments to ensure it remains strong,” Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a news release about the grants.
“These grants will lift up artists and organizations in every region, fueling local economies and expanding access to the arts,” Hochul said, adding  that the talent and dedication of the grantees “help power New York’s future.”
The arts contributed $330 million to the Long Island economy, supporting 4,905 jobs, according to a 2023 study shared by the Long Island Arts Alliance.
This year’s NYSCA grants are in four categories: Support for Organizations, Support for Artists, Targeted Opportunities, and Regrants and Services. More than half of the Support for Organization grants were awarded to arts and culture nonprofits with budgets below $500,000, and 71 percent went to institutions statewide with budgets under $1 million, according to the state.
“During these challenging times, the New York State Council on the Arts has been a stalwart and innovative funder,” New York State Council on the Arts Executive Director Erika Mallin said in the news release.
“These grants will serve artists and organizations in every region and county, fueling our economy and serving our communities,” Malin added. “We know this support isn’t just an investment in the arts; it’s an investment in New York’s future.”
NYSCA is now accepting applications for its $80 million Arts Capital Projects Fund, with a deadline of Jan. 13, at 5 p.m. The fund supports capital facilities and expansion projects for cultural nonprofit organizations that advance accessibility, diverse programming, environmental sustainability and other community-focused priorities. This investment aims to help protect and create jobs that strengthen New York’s arts and tourism sectors. The NYSCA website offers more details.