GO ART! approves grants to support many arts and cultural events in Orleans, Genesee
Photos by Tom Rivers: Bill McDonald and his wife Kay play in Medina from a boat in this photo from July 2015. They are part of the Old Hippies band which is calling itself “The Traveling Towpath Troubadours” for a canal concert series. The band travels to canal towns by boat.
The Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council has announced funding for many cultural programs in the two counties. The $63,084 was presented on March 2 to 24 grant recipients in Orleans and Genesee.
GO Art! has now administered the New York State Council on the Arts’ Decentralization Regrant Program for 30 years
The grant recipients for 2017 include:
Orleans County
• The Arc of Genesee Orleans, sponsored by Orleans County Chamber of Commerce, (Open Mic & Art Show) – $2,375
• Lee-Whedon Memorial Library (“Finally Fridays!”) – $2,800
• Lyndonville Lions Club (Music Fun in the summer in Lyndonville) – $3,800
• Orleans County Chamber of Commerce (Traveling Towpath Troubadours: Bicentennial Celebration of the Erie Canal) – $5,000
• Village of Albion (Concerts on the Canal) – $2,673
• Village of Holley (Concerts at Canal Park) – $1,000
• World Life Institute Inc. (Voices from Earth: Pottery Experience in Orleans County) – $4,908
• Yates Community Library (More Than Just Books ) – $4,400
The Who Dats, including guitarist Marty Hobbs, played to a big crowd by canal in Albion in June 2016.
Genesee County
• The Arc of Genesee Orleans (Art Show and Film Festival) – $2,394
• Batavia Concert Band (2017 Summer Concert Series) –$4,250
• Batavia Players (Summer Musical) –$1,750
• Byron-Bergen Public Library (Art and Music in the Community) – $2,250
• Genesee Chorale (Genesee Chorale 2017 Season) –$4,000
• Batavia Players (Spring After School Program) –$1,427
• Jill Pettigrew (NYS School for the Blind 150th Anniversary Permanent Ceramic Tie Mural) – $3,559
• Ted Canning sponsored by Genesee Symphony Orchestra (Steel Band Residency) – $1,725
• David Burke (Byron-Bergen Public Library Exterior Mural) – $2,500
“If you enjoyed any of the events or public art work created by the recipients, please note that the Decentralization Grant Program (DEC) is probably in danger of being cut or disseminated by Federal Budget cuts that is being proposed,” said Gregory Hallock, assistant director for GO Art! “If you care about art and culture in your life at the grass roots level, let your legislators know that we need funding to continue to promote art and culture in our community.”
