On Sept. 25, New York State Gov. Kathy Hochul announced an $80 million capital fund for non-profit arts and cultural organizations across the state. This funding was made possible through the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) Capital Projects Fund, a project launched in 2018 by the NYSCA with the goal of bolstering arts programs within New York state.
The project has already awarded over 470 capital grants worth over $200 million to artistic and cultural organizations since its inception and has become instrumental in the upkeep of artistic and cultural institutions across the state. Its work of promoting the arts helps bolster community, equity, sustainability, tourism and personal fulfillment, and many New Yorkers are hopeful that Hochul’s latest capital fund will only help continue to keep the art culture of New York alive.
While our world is becoming increasingly corporate and the art scene has been fighting to stay alive, Hochul’s commitment to working with the NYSCA to help arts institutions stay relevant provides an exciting opportunity for those involved in the arts community to keep up their work as well as grow their participant base. New York is proud to have one of the strongest art sectors in the country, and Hochul continues to be a leader in providing for the arts department. Her investments in the state’s art sector are higher than any previous governor, and her fiscal year budget for the year of 2025 is set to include another $80 million allocated towards keeping the NYSCA running. She is fighting for a sacred piece of New York charm and culture, and the capital fund is yet another testament to this passion.
Hochul announced the $80 million capital fund at the groundbreaking ceremony of Hudson Valley Shakespeare, a treasured community theater group known for rendering both classic and contemporary works. They broke ground at their new home which will be located at the Samuel H. Scripps Center in Garrison, New York and is expected to open by the summer of 2026. Hudson Valley Shakespeare is one of the first organizations to receive over $10 million from an NYSCA grant and such funding has provided them the opportunity to provide greatly improved services. Upon the location’s completion, they will be operating from a 98-acre homebase with stunning views of the natural landscape, several pavilions, a public bathroom, an open air theater and outdoor gathering spaces with a lookout to the surrounding nature. They plan to plant over 200 local trees and plants to enhance the landscape and promote sustainability and also provide services including recreational activities, high quality performances and free community events all year long. Overall, the construction of the Hudson Valley Shakespeare location is expected to have an immense positive impact on the local atmosphere and will likely draw in tourism as well.
The groundbreaking of Hudson Valley Shakespeare’s new home and Hochul’s announcement of the capital fund are only a couple of steps in an effort towards maintaining New York’s artistic charm. Hochul and the NYSCA have been working especially hard at this goal this year, having already granted $32 million prior to the latest fund. As many artistic organizations in New York are seeking increased funding in order to advance their communities, the latest capital fund announced by Hochul will deliver and enable more organizations to grow like Hudson Valley Shakespeare has.
The recent $80 million dollar capital fund has been split into three smaller grant categories, all with the goal of fostering artistic growth for cultural institutions across the state regardless of their size or individual goals. The first grant category is called Small and Midsized Capital Improvement Grants for Arts and Culture, and is directed towards non-profit artistic organizations looking to make relatively small developments. These grants may go up to as high as $2 million and are intended for non-organizations of any size that are looking to make developments prioritizing “accessibility, artistry, cultural development, sustainability, health and safety, and structural and historical improvements.” For projects with a budget of under $2 million, the fund may also provide between $10,000 and $99,000 in no-match grants.
The second grant category is called Large Capital Improvement Grants for Arts and Culture and is directed towards non-profit artistic organizations that are looking to make extensive capital developments with the goal of “expanding cultural programming, reaching new and diverse audiences and promoting accessibility.” These grants will also promote equity as all applicants must comply with social equity initiatives and equal access plans. These grants may range from anywhere between $2-10 million and are generally intended for projects with a budget of $4 million or more.
The third and final grant category is called Capital Design Grants for Arts and Culture and is intended for non-profit organizations that are developing advanced design documents, with grants ranging from $50,000-$500,000. Like the Small and Midsized Capital Improvement Grants for Arts and Culture, the Capital Design Grants for Arts and Culture may also provide no-match grants for projects with budgets below $2 million, with the amounts ranging from $50,000 to $500,000.
For art and culture organizations that would like to apply for a grant, the deadline will be Jan. 14, 2025. Applications can be submitted on arts.ny.gov, the official website of the NYSCA. For those with further inquiries, the NYSCA will be hosting virtual office hours and webinars to provide information. Grants will be announced in the spring of 2025.