Fairgame grants applications open in February for fourth year

Arts organizations from the Capital Region, Catskills Region and Southern Tier set to benefit from casino funding opportunity

SCHENECTADY —The Upstate Theater Coalition for a Fairgame is pleased to announce the fourth round of Fairgame Arts Grants, an invaluable funding opportunity for non-profit arts and cultural organizations in three New York state regions—Capital Region, Catskills and Southern Tier.

Not-for-profit organizations based in 27 counties* are eligible to apply for grants from $1,000–$5,000.

The Upstate Theater Coalition for a Fairgame was created in partnership with the State of New York and the casinos in the three gaming regions: Rivers Casino & Resort Schenectady, Resorts World Catskills, del Lago Resort & Casino and Tioga Downs Casino Resort. Coalition members are: 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.

Each member is dedicated to enriching its surroundings, presenting the finest live events available, fostering education and doing so affordability. Through its community commitment, the coalition created Fairgame Arts Grants, a funding program to support projects of arts organizations in associated regions. Many of these organizations depend on this kind of funding to continue to provide arts to their surrounding communities. It is because of these organizations that the arts can expand to reach residents and visitors and perpetuate tourism. Since 2019, the Arts Grant has been awarded to over 100 non-profit arts and cultural organizations and distributed more than $450,000 in funding.

“As the President of the Upstate Theatre Coalition for a Fairgame, I am so excited to announce our fourth round of grant funding for cultural organizations in the Southern Tier, Catskills and Capital Region of New York State.” said West Herr Auditorium Theatre Chief Operating Officer John Parkhurst. “These organizations operate at the community level and have a direct impact on arts patrons in the Empire State. That we can support such incredible programs and help the arts come alive for our communities is an honor for all the performing arts centers and theatres in the Upstate Theatre Coalition for a Fairgame and the Upstate casinos who support us.”

The grant applications open on Monday, Feb. 5. The deadline is 5 p.m. Thursday, March 21. Grant guidelines can be found at afairgame.net. For more information, contact info@afairgame.net.

 *Capital Region: Albany, Fulton, Montgomery, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie and Washington counties.

Catskills Region: Columbia, Delaware, Dutchess, Greene, Orange, Putnam, Sullivan and Ulster counties.

Southern Tier: Broome, Chemung, Monroe, Ontario, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Tioga, Tompkins, Wayne and Yates counties.