Fairgame Arts Grants awarded to 59 organizations in 19 counties

Fairgame Arts Grants awarded to 59 organizations in 19 counties

The Upstate Theater Coalition for a Fairgame

supports regional arts and cultural organizations

SCHENECTADY, N.Y.—APRIL 30, 2019—The Upstate Theater Coalition for a Fairgame has awarded Fairgame Arts Grants to 59 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 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.

A total of 84 applications were received statewide, with 59 awards being offered in 19 counties, amounting to $161,550.

Elected officials in the three regions are praising the Fairgame Arts Grants, emphasizing that the alliance has stayed true to its plan of not only protecting the performing arts in downtown areas upstate, but also fostering the success and maintenance of smaller arts partners.

“This is what happens when we all work together,” said NY State Senator Neil Breslin, longtime champion of the arts. “The coalition members, the casinos, and state and local government see this project as a boon. In the Capital Region, 17 applicants are receiving funding that will help them transform their communities through direct participation in the arts.”

“This is the creative economy in action,” said NYS Senator Sue Serino, whose Catskill Region boasts 29 recipients. “Our community has long been a major hub for arts and tourism to the benefit of residents and visitors alike, and we thank Fairgame for living up to its commitment to help fund these programs that mean so much to our local area. These grants will not only serve the grantees directly, but will benefit our community as a whole and we are grateful that this program puts the spotlight on all that makes our community so unique.”

“We are proud of the breadth and depth of our cultural offerings in the Southern Tier/Finger Lakes,” said Assemblyman Harry Bronson of Rochester, whose region had 13 recipients. “Initiatives like Fairgame Arts Grants don’t simply support active creative organizations, but inspire new ideas, new ways of thinking and new ways of engaging. This program looks to the future, with the casinos serving as a seed for new growth.”

Distribution of the awards included Capital Region $52,500; Catskill Region $75,000;

and Southern Tier/Finger Lakes Region $34,050.

“Five years ago, we saw this as a significant goal of the coalition,” said Fairgame board president Chris Silva, executive director, Bardavon Presents. “Now it’s happening. These grants will make tangible differences in individual communities. We’ve proven that the casinos and major performing arts centers can work together to enrich their regions in myriad ways.”

The Upstate Theater Coalition for a Fairgame includes Bardavon Presents (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.

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2019 Fairgame Arts Grants recipients

Capital Region

Albany County

Albany Barn, Inc. $1000

Albany Center Gallery $5000

Albany Institute of History & Art $1750

Albany Public Library Foundation $1500

Albany Symphony $5000

Youth FX Inc. $2000

Montgomery County

Schoharie River Center $4000

Rensselaer County

The Arts Center of the Capital Region $5000

Contemporary Circus and Immersive Arts Center, Inc. $2860

Media Alliance $5000

Saratoga County

Caffè Lena $5000

Nacre, Inc. $2000

Saratoga County Historical Society/Brookside Museum $1940

SaratogaArtsFest $2500

Schenectady County

Music Haven Concert Series $2450

New York Folklore Society $3500

Schoharie County

Jefferson Historical Society $2000

Catskill Region

Columbia County

Ancram Opera House $2500

Art School of Columbia County $2000

FASNY Museum of Firefighting 1$400

Hudson Area Association Library $3000

Hudson Hall $5000

Operation Unite, New York, Inc. $1000

PS21, Inc. $2500

Roving Actors’ Repertory Ensemble $1750

The Millay Colony for the Arts $2000

Delaware County

Franklin Stage Company $5000

Music on the Delaware $1500

Tri-Town Theatre Inc $1750

West Kortright Centre $3000

William B. Ogden Free Library $1275

Dutchess County

Mid-Hudson Heritage Center $3375

Nego Gato Inc. $4200

Poughkeepsie Public Library District $2000

Greene County

Catskill Community Center $2000

M.J. Quill Irish Cultural and Sports Centre $2500

Petronio Residency Center (Stephen Petronio Company) $2500

Orange County

Sound Directions, Inc. $2500

Sullivan County

Delaware Valley Opera $2000

Ulster County

Arm of the Sea Productions, Inc. $4000

Arts Mid-Hudson $2000

Coming Together Festival of Dance & Music Inc., dba The Vanaver Caravan $5000

Huguenot Historical Society $1750

New Paltz Ballet Theatre $3000

One Ocean Media Foundation $2500

Voice Theatre $2000

Southern Tier/Finger Lakes Region

Broome County

Binghamton Downtown Singers, Inc. $3250

Binghamton Philharmonic $3000

Binghamton Theater Organ Society $1060

Endicott Performing Arts Center $3250

Tri-Cities Opera $2250

Chemung County

Common Time $1000

Elmira Little Theatre $2925

Rafael Grigorian Ballet Theatre $2275

Monroe County

Blackfriars of Rochester, Inc. $5000

Ontario County

Victor Association of Cultural and Performing Arts $3250

Steuben County

Corning-Elmira Musical Arts, Inc., dba Orchestra of the Southern Finger Lakes $3040

The ARTS Council of the Southern Finger Lakes $2250

Tompkins County

Community Arts Partnership $1500

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www.afairgame.net. 

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