ArtsWestchester

JOIN THE CONVERSATION: PUBLIC SUPPORT MATTERS

WESTCHESTER COUNTY – SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR THE 2023 BUDGET PLANS

As Westchester’s designated agency for arts and culture, ArtsWestchester leads efforts to encourage support for funding, legislation, and policies that strengthen the arts in Westchester. We believe that the arts merit government support-at local, state, and national levels, because the arts enhance the quality of life, serve as an economic engine, foster stable communities; and advance community revitalization.  In Westchester, the nonprofit arts sector generates $172.3 million in economic activity.

Westchester County funds enable ArtsWestchester to support arts and cultural activity throughout the county through  competitive grant programs, provide county residents and visitors with information about cultural activities available in Westchester; and to provide arts education opportunities throughout the county.

In November 2022, Westchester County Executive George Latimer will announce the 2023 Executive budget.  In advance of that announcement, the County will host several town hall open forums to invite input from the public on what is important to the residents of Westchester.  Please email [email protected] with questions on how you can show your support.

Westchester County Requests Your Participation at the 2023 Westchester County Budget Public Input Sessions

Before the 2022 Westchester County budget is finalized, come and share your priorities for County programs and services. This year’s information is as follows:

Wednesday, November 30 at 7pm
Chappaqua Performing Arts Center
480 North Bedford Road
Chappaqua
(Live stream on Facebook)

Wednesday, December 7 at 7pm
Board of Legislators’ Chamber
148 Martine Avenue, 8th Floor
White Plains
(Remote participation is available)

Those who wish to submit written comments may do so by sending an e-mail to [email protected].

ACTION ALERT – Restart the Arts – UPDATE
New York allocates $1 million for ArtsWestchester’s ReStart the Arts
Let’s say Thank You!

The pandemic has impacted all sectors, and as we slowly work towards recovery the arts and culture sector is rebuilding its staff and resources in order to welcome back audiences safely.  ArtsWestchester asked for funding for the “Restart the Arts” initiative, a new funding opportunity for cultural groups to apply for funding to help them rebuild and reopen. The request was heard and answered with a big YES!

On May 7, State legislators gathered with ArtsWestchester today to announce and celebrate a $1 million award that will be regranted to arts groups in Rockland and Westchester counties through ReStart The Arts Grant Program to be administered by ArtsWestchester to help organizations recover from the COVID-19 pandemic recession.

Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said, “It was wonderful to be with ArtsWestchester and CEO Janet Langsam for the reopening of their White Plains gallery today. The Westchester arts community has been hard hit by social distancing and lockdown measures at the height of the pandemic. This is why I, along with my Senate colleagues, fought for $1 million in funding for ArtsWestchester to ensure our local arts community emerges from this pandemic with the resources needed to come back stronger than ever. Today marks the start of that comeback.”

We encourage to send a note of thanks your elected officials today and thank them for their support for ReStart the Arts in Westchester and Rockland Counties.

For complete press release, click here.

NEW YORK STATE COUNCIL ON THE ARTS

We believe New York State—not only New York City—is the art state. New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) is the agency responsible for funding arts and culture throughout the state. In Westchester, NYSCA grants to arts and cultural organizations total more than $1 million each year. In addition, NYSCA’s Decentralization Program, which Arts Westchester regrants as Arts Alive awards, ensures that community-based arts activities are available and easily accessible.

NATIONAL

Did you know that the Biden Administration submitted its first detailed budget proposal to Congress for FY 2022? There are several proposed increases to the nation’s federal arts and culture grantmaking agencies, including raising the annual budget of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) to $201 million. President Biden’s proposed FY 2022 budget increase would bring the NEA to its highest funding level in the agency’s 56-year history! (See NEA press release.)

What you can do:

The U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate will proceed with their annual appropriations process to reach a funding level that they believe these federal cultural agencies should receive. At last month’s National Arts Action Summit organized by Americans for the Arts, arts advocates asked Congress for a “substantial increase” for the NEA (See 2021 Congressional Arts Handbook.) In the coming weeks, we will be asking you to send timely e-messages to urge your Congressional delegation to match this substantial increase proposed by President Biden.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING THE CONVERSATION TO KEEP THE ARTS THRIVING IN WESTCHESTER!