Since 2008, SLC Arts has administered the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) Decentralization Program in Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence Counties. Statewide, this regrant program distributes $4,000,000 to individual artists, municipalities, libraries, and non-profit organizations for the purpose of funding community-based arts and cultural projects. For 2019, our tri-county region receives over $60,000 in Decentralization funds, to offer three grant opportunities: Public Art Fellowship, Teaching Artists’ Fund, and Community Arts Grant.
Each of these projects is made possible with funds from the Decentralization Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature, and administered by the St. Lawrence County Arts Council.
For more information about available grants, visit slcartscouncil.org/grants.
The PUBLIC ART FELLOWSHIP is a $2,500 fellowship, available to individual artists. It funds the creation of new work that engages a segment of the community through a public program, such as a public exhibition or performance, and/or the inclusion of community involvement in the project’s development and creative process.
- Soliciting input from the local community, artist Patty VanPatten (Waddington) will redesign and recreate the entryway at Madrid Waddington Central School, to commemorate the school’s past theater productions and highlight students’ artwork.
- Artist Sara Lynch (Potsdam) will work with students from the Canton Central School’s Technical Theater class and theater program (Canton), to design and create backdrops to be used in the school’s two theatre productions.
The TEACHING ARTISTS’ FUND is a $300-$5,000 grant, available to artists working in partnership with K-12 public schools or community organizations, to actively engage students in arts education and appreciation. Congratulations to our 2019 Teaching Artists’ Fund recipients:
- Artist Patty VanPatten (Waddington) will work with 8th through 12th grade students from Madrid-Waddington Central School (Madrid), to teach techniques of building and painting moveable sets and backdrops for the school’s theatrical productions.
- Artist Bill Newman (Canton) will work with students from the Canton Central School’s Technical Theater class and theater program (Canton), to design and create backdrops to be used in the school’s two theatre productions.
- Hearts For Youth, Inc. (Alexandria Bay) will partner with the Macsherry Library (Alexandria Bay) An offering of six arts-focused classes, each comprised of five lessons. Featured classes include: beginners’ acrylics, fine art, PhotoShop, jewelry making, mosaics, and sewing.
The COMMUNITY ARTS GRANT is a $300 – $5,000 grant available to individual artists and organizations that create community art experiences through classes, performances, and other artist interactions. The Community Arts Grant is available to municipalities, libraries, or 501(c)3 non-profit organizations; it is also available to individual artists and arts organizations who partner with a local, fiscal sponsor. Congratulations to our 2019 Community Arts Grant recipients:
- The DeKalb Historical Association (DeKalb Junction) presents the its 2019 Performance Series, featuring two summer concerts that reflect community heritage and traditions.
- The Town of Lewis Library (West Leyden) presents two arts-focused programs: a hands-on, tote bag painting class, led by a local artist; and a theatrical performance by a popular youth theatre group.
- The Sackets Harbor Historical Society (Sackets Harbor) presents Our 35th Year Anniversary Season: A Musical Mix, a mix of musical performances, celebrating the wide variety of music that Concerts on the Waterfront has presented over the past 35 years.
- The Morristown Gateway Museum (Morristown) presents its 2019 Concert Series, a series of summer music events that feature local musicians.
- The Norwood Public Library presents Arts Around the World, a series of six hands-on, artist-led, children’s art classes. Each class focuses on a different culture and feature an art project from that geographical region.
- The Depauville Free Library (Depauville) presents Covered in Color: Sidewalk Chalk Art. Participants are encouraged to create their own artwork, or stroll through the area to view the art, as it is both a show and a competition.
- The Colton Historical Society (Colton) presents its Sunday Rock Legacy production of The Tavern, By George M Cohan, a staged performance that combines local history and education with live, musical theater.
- The Greater Massena Chamber of Commerce (Massena) presents Concerts in the Park 2019, a series of 11 family-friendly, summer concerts, featuring a line-up of popular, local performers.
- WPBS-TV (Watertown) presents Songs of the Season, a special holiday concert, featuring local high school select choirs from Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence Counties, to be broadcast in December 2019.
- The Lewis County Historical Society (Lowville) presents its Black River Valley Concert Series Supplement, one winter concert and one spring concert, featuring music by highly talented artists from outside of the local area.
- The Potsdam Public Library (Potsdam) presents The Music of Culture Performance Series, a three-part series of performance and interactive workshops for children of all ages, facilitated by a local artist. Each program begins with a performance, and is followed by a hands-on learning experience for audience members.
- Clayton Young People’s Theater (Clayton) presents Theater Week 2019, a week-long musical theater experience for young people, ages 5-18, that teaches acting and choreography, and ultimately culminates in a junior production of Madagascar – A Musical Adventure JR.
- Sackets Harbor Vocal Arts Ensemble (Sackets Harbor) presents Haydn “Missa in Angustiis” & Clausen “A New Creation,” a high quality choral concert in which the applicant will be joined by a chamber orchestra and four soloists.
- Chippewa Bay Community Club (Chippewa Bay) presents its Backyard Concert Series, a series of five summer concerts by musicians who make their home and living in the area.
- The Heuvelton Historical Association (Heuvelton) presents its International Concert Series, a series of three concerts, featuring Irish, Canadian and American music.
- The Yellow Barn Concert Series (South Hammond) presents its summer concert program, a series of seven diverse musical experiences that celebrate the power of music; presented in a unique gallery setting.
- The Potsdam Public Library (Potsdam) presents Play with Clay, a series of hands-on, multidisciplinary art lessons, designed and taught to bring a unique art and science experience to the patrons of area libraries.
- The Thousand Islands Arts Center (Clayton) presents an eight-week after-school arts program, for children K – 8th grade; and a six-week kids’ art camp, for children ages 5 – 10.