$45,300 awarded to Capital Region arts organizations

The Upstate Theater Coalition for a Fairgame has awarded Fairgame Arts Grants to 44 non-profit arts and cultural organizations in the three New York state casino regions: Capital, Catskills and Southern Tier/Finger Lakes.

In February, groups in 27 counties were invited to submit for grants ranging from $1,000–$5,000, subsidized by gaming revenues from Rivers Casino & Resort Schenectady, Resorts World Catskills, del Lago Resort & Casino and Tioga Downs Casino Resort.

The coalition, a group of a dozen performing arts centers, was created in partnership with the casinos specifically to foster economic cooperation amongst the entities. Through its community commitment, the coalition created Fairgame Arts Grants, to fund programs to support organizations in the associated regions.

“We are thrilled to make these awards during a time when so many smaller not-for-profit arts and culture organizations could use assistance,” said Upstate Theater Coalition for a Fairgame chair Doug Levine, who is executive director of the State Theater of Ithaca.  

“The Upstate Theater Coalition for a Fairgame is grateful for the partnerships we’ve established with the upstate casinos that have helped us create this program. This year’s process was challenging, as COVID struck right around the time that our Fairgame grant applications were due. In response to these new parameters, we extended program timelines and allowed adjustments and revisions to ideas to ensure that these projects could still happen.”

A total of 85 applications were received statewide, with 44 being awarded in 17 counties, amounting to $138,800. Distribution regionally: Capital Region, $45,300; Catskill Region, $64,875; and Southern Tier / Finger Lakes Region, $28,625.

The Upstate Theater Coalition for a Fairgame includes Bardavon (Poughkeepsie), Bethel Woods Center for the Arts (Bethel), Clemens Center (Elmira), Forum Theatre (Binghamton), Palace Performing Arts Center (Albany), Proctors (Schenectady), Rochester Broadway Theatre League’s Auditorium Theatre (Rochester), Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs City Center, State Theatre of Ithaca, Times Union Center (Albany) and Troy Savings Bank Music Hall.

The following is a list of all awardees statewide:

Albany County
Albany Barn, $1,450

Albany Center Gallery, $2,500

NY StateWide Senior Action Council, $5,000

Theater Voices, $1,000

Underground Railroad History Project of the Capital Region, Inc., $3,225

Broome County

Endicott Performing Arts Center, $1,500

Chemung County

New Heights Dance Theater, $1,000

The ARTS Council of the Southern Finger Lakes, $3,000

Columbia County
Ancram Opera House Theater, Inc., $3,480

Hudson Opera House, Inc. (dba Hudson Hall), $4,000

PS21, Inc. $2,000

Delaware County

Franklin Stage Company, $5,000

Dutchess County
Cappella Festiva, $2,500

Nego Gato Inc., $3,095

The Art Effect, $4,000

Greene County
Petronio Residency Center (Stephen Petronio Dance Company, Inc.), $1,000

Montgomery County
Schoharie River Center, Inc., $5,000

Ontario County
Geneva Concerts, Inc., $3,000

Light Opera, Inc., $3,000

Geneva Theatre Guild, $1,500

Smith Center for the Arts, $2,000

Rensselaer County

Contemporary Circus & Immersive Arts Center, $5,000

Media Alliance Inc., $5,000

Saratoga County
Lake George Opera Festival Association, Inc., dba Opera Saratoga, $5,000

Saratoga Chamber Players, Inc., $1,700

The Creative Place International, $4,425

Schenectady County
440 State Street, Inc., $3,500

New York Folklore, $2,500

Seneca County
Edith B. Ford Memorial Library, $2,125

Steuben County
Corning-Elmira Musical Arts, Inc., dba Orchestra of the Southern Finger Lakes, $3,000

One Seventy One Cedar, Inc. (171 Cedar Arts Center), $3,000

Sullivan County

Delaware Valley Arts Alliance, $4,000

Delaware Valley Opera Corp., $2,000

Nesin Cultural Arts Inc., $5,000

Theatrical Arts at Forestburgh Inc., $4,000

Tompkins County
Community Arts Partnership of Tompkins County, $1,000

Tompkins Kitchen Theatre Company, $3,000

Tompkins Opera Ithaca, $1,500

Ulster County

Arm of the Sea Productions, Inc., $4,000

Coming Together Festival of Dance & Music, Inc. dba The Vanaver Caravan, $4,000

Harambee, $4,000

New York Theatre Organ Society, $2,800

Ulster County Ballet Guild, Inc., $4,000

Voice Theatre, $2,000

Woodstock Film Festival, $4,000