Area Arts Groups Get State Grants

State Senator James L. Seward today announced state grants for several area arts and cultural organizations. Seward said the grants broaden opportunities for the public to participate in local arts events and support local tourism attractions.

"Local arts and cultural groups enrich the quality of life in our communities," Seward said, "and they are a special boon to our rural areas. Whether the grants support musical presentations, art exhibitions or a focus on significant events in our history, they contribute to what communities can offer our citizens, students, families and even tourists."

Grants include:
AMOUNT ORGANIZATION FOR:
$18,000Catskill Mountain Foundation, Hunter, NY Presentations and workshops
$ 6,000Center for the Arts, Homer, NY Presentations
$ 6,500Cooperstown Chamber Music Festival Professional performances
(Cooperstown, NY)
$20,000 free103point9 Inc, Acra, NY Digitization project
$ 5,000 Glimmerglass Opera, Cooperstown, NYDesign and planning studies
$18,900 Greene Co. Hist. Society - Thos. Cole Site Exhibitions, museum education
(Catskill, NY)
$34,000 Iroquois Indian Museum, Schoharie Digitization, folkartpresentations
$ 9,600 Michael J. Quill Irish Cultural Ctr. Presentations
(East Durham, NY)
$ 3,650 Sharon Springs Citizens Council on Arts Presentations
(Sharon Springs, NY)

"People come from all over for Glimmerglass Opera, the Thomas Cole Historic Site, and the Iroquois Indian Museum, and others," Seward said. "The effect on local economies can be significant."

The grants are decided by the New York State Council on the Arts as part of a $5.3 million statewide allocation and are included in the 2006-2007 state budget.

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