Governor Hochul Announces Over $90 Million in Capital Funding for Arts Organizations Across New York State

 

New York State Council on the Arts’ Capital Projects Fund Will Support Transformative Projects at 19 Arts and Cultural Organizations

Also Announces Groundbreaking for Storm King Art Center Redevelopment to Enhance Visitor Experience and Protect the Safety of Staff and Artwork

Part of Governor’s Historic Investment of $150 Million in Capital Projects for New York’s Arts and Cultural Institutions to Facilitate Large-Scale Placemaking and Community Development Projects

 Governor Kathy Hochul today announced a record $90.5 million in funding for large-scale capital projects at 19 arts and cultural organizations across New York State through the New York State Council of the Arts Capital Projects Fund. The announcement, which follows a $42 million investment in small and mid-sized capital projects announced in April, is part of the Governor’s historic $150 million investment in capital improvements for the arts. Governor Hochul announced the new funding at the groundbreaking for the campus-wide improvement project at Storm King Art Center, a 500-acre outdoor museum in the Mid-Hudson Region and a $7.5 million NYSCA Large Capital Improvement Grants recipient.

"From New York City to the North Country, we are investing in our state's robust arts and culture sector to ensure all New Yorkers, regardless of their background, have access to the transformative power of art," Governor Hochul said. "Our unprecedented support for this shared vision of accessible and sustainable cultural spaces will result in a stronger economy, more jobs, and improved community and personal health for New Yorkers and our visitors from around the globe.”

In addition to NYSCA’s support, Empire State Development awarded more than $3 million in funding to Storm King Art Center – a $2 million capital grant and a $1.2 million Market New York grant – at the recommendation of the Mid-Hudson Regional Economic Development Council. NYSERDA has also contributed $600,000 to the project, bringing New York State’s total support for the facility to more than $11 million.

NYSCA’s Large Capital Improvement Grants for Arts and Culture support arts and cultural institutions across the state that are undertaking impactful, large-scale capital improvements. Grants range from $2 million to $10 million for projects with a total cost of $4 million or more. This funding will support investments to expand cultural programming, reach new and diverse audiences, and promote accessibility. These grants will also help advance the State's goals around diversity, equity and inclusion and will require all grantees to commit to social equity initiatives and access plans that serve all New Yorkers. NYSCA’s Large Capital Improvement Grants program is administered in coordination with Empire State Development, which reviews applications to evaluate the potential for projects to support local placemaking, community development, and downtown revitalization efforts.

The grant to Storm King Art Center will enhance the visitor experience through the construction of two new building elements: the Welcome Sequence and the Conservation, Fabrication, and Maintenance Building. The Welcome Sequence will help to simplify visitors’ arrival by doubling parking capacity, removing traffic, and adding new facilities to accommodate guest arrivals and group tours. The Conservation, Fabrication, and Maintenance Building will be Storm King’s first-ever purpose-built space, allowing them to work with artists on fabrication, better care for their collection by conserving important artworks onsite, and provide staff with safe, well-equipped facilities. The new facility will also prioritize sustainability with all-electric buildings and LEED Gold Certification for the Welcome Sequence, reinforcing Storm King’s long history of land preservation and environmental education.

In addition to Storm King Arts Center, other NYSCA grantees announced today include:

Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival, Phillipstown: LEED-Certified Outdoor Theater and Ecological Land Restoration  

• This project will transform a recently acquired 98-acre site into a destination campus, open for year-round world-class performances, engaging education programs and access to land that will be permanently conserved.

Lake Placid Association of Music, Drama and Art, Lake Placid: New Arts Facility Construction  

• This project will build a new modern arts complex, a destination for artistic excellence in the North County and an essential vehicle for boosting cultural tourism.

National Black Theatre Workshop, New York City: New Performing Arts Center Construction  

• NYSCA funds will support the construction of a unique multipurpose arts and job-training center that will provide a world-class arts facility, cultural and educational programming, job training services, and an incubator for creative sector entrepreneurs.

A complete list of NYSCA grantees is available here.

In September 2022, Governor Hochul announced the $150 million Capital Projects Fund to support New York’s arts and cultural institutions and facilitate large-scale capital projects that prioritize community development and placemaking. In addition to the Capital Projects Fund, NYSCA has awarded $90 million in non-capital grants to arts organizations and artists for FY2023.

EDITOR'S NOTE: 

Millions of dollars for Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens in New York City, plus millions of dollars for other counties, but not one dime for Arts Organizations in Bronx County. 

Maybe the Kingsbridge Armory should be redeveloped into an arts center, or at least a part of the armory.