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 White Plains, NY - ArtsWestchester has announced that 15 organizations will receive Municipal Challenge Grants. These grants are perhaps best known for making possible dozens of free summer concerts that take place in parks across Westchester.
Thanks to a grant from Verizon, a long-time supporter of the Municipal Challenge Program, and the Peckham Foundation, a total funding pool of $25,000 was available to be matched with funds from municipal governments. (For a complete list of Y2009 Municipal Challenge Projects, see below).
“In these challenging economic times, it is especially rewarding that municipalities understand the value of the arts .and continue to support these free and affordable activities for their residents,” remarked ArtsWestchester Executive Director Janet T. Langsam. “Residents can take out their lawn chairs and leave their wallets at home. Verizon deserves a standing ovation for recognizing the value of this program and for stepping forward to keep the parks alive with music this summer.”
ArtsWestchester’s Municipal Challenge Grants encourage local governments to allocate funds for cultural programs and to foster partnerships with grassroots arts organizations. To qualify for a Municipal Challenge Grant this year, recipients were required to have a commitment of Y2009 financial support from a Westchester village, town, or city. Because each municipality matches the Municipal Challenge Grant, the impact of funding is doubled. Over the years, ArtsWestchester’s Municipal Challenge Grants have helped support many community arts projects including free summer concerts, artist studio tours, and public art projects.
John F. Butler, Verizon’s Director of External Affairs, added that the Municipal Challenge Program allows Verizon to share funding resources with organizations that would otherwise would lose funding. We are able to meet more requests with pooled resources,” said Butler. "Cultural and community programs are under financial stress today to serve county residents"
An independent panel of artists, arts administrators, business leaders, and community activists reviews the various applications and determines which applicants will receive funding.
Y2009 Municipal Challenge Projects Include:
(alphabetically by town)
Chappaqua
The Chappaqua Orchestra will receive $2,300 ($4,600 with match) for a Summer Concert in the Park and a Big Read family event
Dobbs Ferry
Jazz Forum Arts will receive $1,000 ($2,000 with match) for the Dobbs Ferry Summer Music Series
Hastings
River Arts will receive $2,000 ($4,000 with match) for the 17th Annual Open Studio Tour encompassing the towns of Ardsley, Dobbs Ferry, Hastings, and Irvington in 2010
Mount Vernon
Jazz Forum Arts will receive $1,000 ($2,000 with match) to present the Summer Breeze Music Series on the steps of Mt. Vernon City Hall
New Rochelle
The New Rochelle Council on the Arts will receive $1,500 ($3,000 with match) for the Summer Concerts in the Park series
North Salem
The Hammond Museum and Japanese Stroll Garden will receive $3,500 ($7,000 with match) for its programming throughout the year
Peekskill
The Hudson Valley Center for Contemporary Art will receive $3,000 ($6,000 with match) for Double Dutch, an exhibition of Contemporary Dutch Artists, in recognition of the Quadricentennial
Port Chester
The Clay Art Center will receive $500 ($1,000 with match) for community art workshops during Port Chester Day
Rye
The Clay Art Center will receive $1,500 ($3,000 with match) for a project entitled “Folktales Tiles: Embracing Diversity”
Tarrytown
Jazz Forum Arts will receive $1,000 ($2,000 with match) for the Jazz at Pierson Park series
Tuckahoe
Westchester Italian Cultural Center will receive $2,500 ($5,000 with match) for “Cinema Sotto Le Stelle,” a series of free outdoor screenings of popular Italian films.
Yonkers
Actors Conservatory Theatre will receive $1,500 ($3,000 with match) for ACT’s Jr. Troupe Musical in March of 2010
Blue Door Art Association will receive $1,000 ($2,000 with match) for an interactive public art project
Youth Theatre Interactions will receive $1,200 ($2,400 with match) for YTI’s “Outdoor Cultural Experience
ArtsWestchester is your connection to the arts. Founded in 1965, it is the largest, private, not-for-profit arts council in New York State; its mission is to provide leadership, vision, and support, to ensure the availability, accessibility, and diversity of the arts. ArtsWestchester provides programs and services that enrich Westchester; our grants help fund concerts, exhibitions and plays; we bring artists into schools and community centers; we advocate for the arts and build audiences through our marketing initiatives. In 1998, ArtsWestchester purchased the nine-story neo-classical bank building at 31 Mamaroneck Avenue which has since been transformed into the Arts Exchange, a multi-use resource for artists, cultural organizations, and the community.
The Verizon Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Verizon Communications, supports the advancement of literacy and K-12 education through its free educational Web site, Thinkfinity.org, and fosters awareness and prevention of domestic violence. In 2008, the Verizon Foundation awarded more than $68 million in grants to nonprofit agencies in the U.S. and abroad. It also matched the charitable donations of Verizon employees and retirees, resulting in an additional $26 million in combined contributions to nonprofits. Through Verizon Volunteers, one of the nation’s largest employee volunteer programs, Verizon employees and retirees have volunteered more than 3 million hours of community service since 2000. For more information on the foundation, visit www.verizonfoundation.org
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