Greene County Council on the Arts (GCCA) announces the recipients of regrant awards through the Community Arts Grants Program for Columbia, Greene and Schoharie Counties (DEC).
The three counties have been awarded $76,892 in funding in support of cultural programming and activities for 2013 and $7500 for three individual artist awards (one for each respective county).
The Community Arts Grants/Decentralization Program is funded by the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA).
This program provides support for local not-for-profit organizations and artists sponsored by these agencies.
These funds are intended to reward programs with strong public components that directly benefit local residents.
An additional $11,508 in state funds has been set aside for Arts Education programs in our tri-county region. All funding awards are competitive and determined by a dedicated panel of local artists, arts professionals, and community members-each unaffiliated with applicant organizations.
Schoharie County received requests from 16 organizations totaling $49,839-more than twice the amount of available funding.
Twelve organizations received $27,037 for DEC Project Support.
Funded projects include two mural projects, numerous musical performances and concert series (ranging from chamber to folk), a multi-discipline workshop, and theater as well as performances by the Mettawee River Theater and The Ellen Sinopoli Dance Company.
Grant recipients are:
• The Community Christmas Chorus for a performance of Handel's "Messiah."
• Jefferson Historical Society for Maple Museum series featuring a capella performances by City of the Hills Sweet Adelines, Harmony Street doo-wop group, and other musical offerings.
• Landis Arboretum for Mettawee River Theater Performance.
• Richmondville Historical Society for Music at the Mill concerts.
• Schoharie Colonial Heritage Association for free summer children's art camps.
• Upper Catskill String Quartet for American chamber music concerts.
• Village of Cobleskill for a community mural project.
• Village of Schoharie for dance and band concerts.
• Village of Sharon Springs for a mural project celebrating local history and agriculture.
• First time applicant Schoharie County ARC for Art Creation and Showcase program
• Schoharie County Community Action & Schoharie Theater Project for comedy, drama and murder mystery productions.
• And first time applicant Schoharie County Youth Bureau for Ellen Sinopoli Dance Company outdoor performance.
An Individual Artist Award ($2,500) was awarded to Richmondville resident, Michael Noel Breitbach.
The intent of these awards is to foster high quality, accessible local cultural programs in our own backyard.
So that the quality of programming and the cultural needs of the community can continue to be met, a Schoharie Cultural Needs Survey is presently being conducted on the Greene County Council on the Arts website.
Schoharie residents can participate in this survey by visiting greenearts.org and clicking on "2014 Schoharie Cultural Survey."