Westchester County Executive George Latimer and the Westchester County Board of Legislators today joined with ArtsWestchester to announce that 102 Westchester arts organizations are the recipients of matching funds from the Art$WChallenge grant program.
In what has been a record-breaking year, participating arts organizations raised $786,541 in new private funds from 1,320 donors through the program which ended Dec. 31, 2022. These private funds were matched with $501,571 in Westchester County support, providing in total $1.28 Million in financial support for the arts community at a critical time where arts groups are working to build back arts audiences lost during the pandemic.
County Executive George Latimer explained: “Since the inception of the Art$WChallenge in 2007, this powerful public/private program has raised over $6 Million to support Westchester’s arts and cultural sector, matched with over $3 million in County support. The County’s arts community has weathered a difficult few years. In fact, there has never been a more important time to help the arts make a comeback with broad and enthusiastic support than now.”
Westchester County Board of Legislators Chairwoman Catherine Borgia said, “The scope of the Art$WChallenge grant allows ArtsWestchester and the County to innovatively crowdfund for over 100 art & cultural organizations. The Board of Legislators is grateful for this partnership that fosters artistic expression, cultural competence, and celebrates creativity for programs of all sizes.”
Grantees included arts organizations in every corner of Westchester such as: the historic Tarrytown Music Hall (receiving a matching grant of $8,500), presenting live music, theatre, dance and film to tri-state audiences; Westchester Children’s Museum (receiving a matching grant of $8,500), a vibrant, interactive learning space for kids of all ages in Rye, NY; and the Wakanda Celebration (receiving a $5,000 matching grant), a festival of community, culture and African pride in Mount Vernon, NY.
Janet T. Langsam, CEO of ArtsWestchester said: “On behalf of ArtsWestchester, I would like to thank the individual donors to this program and Westchester County and the Board of Legislators for their long-term investment in an a matching grant program that over sixteen years has paid dividends for the economy. With the cultural sector generating more than $172 Million in economic activity pre-pandemic, this vital community investment will help us in our effort to ensure Westchester’s cultural infrastructure for the future.”
For more information about ArtsWestchester, visit ArtsWestchester website..
About ArtsWestchester
For more than 50 years, ArtsWestchester has been the community’s 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 create an equitable, inclusive, vibrant and sustainable Westchester County in which the arts are integral to and integrated into every facet of life. ArtsWestchester provides programs and services that enrich the lives of everyone in Westchester County. ArtsWestchester helps fund concerts, exhibitions and plays through grants; brings artists into schools and community centers; advocates for the arts; and builds audiences through diverse marketing initiatives. In 1998, ArtsWestchester purchased the nine-story neo-classical bank building at 31 Mamaroneck Avenue which has since been transformed into a multi-use resource for artists, cultural organizations and the community. A two-story gallery is located on the first floor of ArtsWestchester’s historic building on Mamaroneck Avenue.