The Bushwick Starr is in for a new performing arts center; Green-Wood Cemetery will get an upgraded education and welcome center; and Weeksville Heritage Center will be lit up with new LED signage thanks to the State’s latest $20 million investment in New York arts organizations.
Governor Kathy Hochul announced last week that 116 capital project grants were awarded through the New York State Council on the Arts. The projects funded range from innovative construction renovations to critical equipment updates that prioritize health and safety upgrades, the governor said. And they would spur economic development, job growth and access to arts and culture experiences in the state’s 10 regions.
In Brooklyn, six organizations received a grant: The Bushwick Starr, a community arts center and theater space, will get $900,000 for the construction of a new performing arts center; The Center for Performance Research will get $108,00 for an HVAC replacement; Green-Wood Cemetery is receiving $500,000 for upgrades to its Education & Welcome Center; Weeksville Heritage Center is getting $92,00 for outdoor lighting and the LED signage equipment $92,000; Dancing Crane has been awarded $10,000 for a new sound system; and Jack Arts will also get $10,000 to purchase a new video projection system.
“From our vibrant cultural anchors, to celebrated historical sites, our arts and cultural spaces represent the ingenuity of New York and preserve our state's rich history and character,” Hochul said.
“Congratulations to all grantees embarking on these transformative projects that will demonstrate the arts are both back and thriving."
70 organizations were awarded grants between $50,000 to $1 million and 46 organizations were awarded $10,000 grants for equipment upgrades and facilities improvements. All $10,000 grants support organizations with operating budgets under $1 million, the governor said.
Mara Manus, executive director of New York State Council on the Arts, said arts and cultural spaces played an integral role in strengthening and revitalizing New York's cities, towns and villages.
"Capital Projects large and small drive long-term economic development for our State by creating hundreds of jobs, supporting Main Street businesses and tourism, and promoting social engagement,” Manus said, adding she was grateful the state’s leaders recognized that.
NYSCA has invested $50 million in capital funding to date, which has been awarded across three funding rounds. Of the 88 projects across the state that NYSCA supported in prior funding years, approximately 50% are near completion, the agency said.
