OLEAN, N.Y. — Attention, creative types. If an arts project is burning a hole in your head and all you need is money, the Tri-County Arts Council hears you. As the administrator for three DEC arts grants in Allegany, Cattaraugus, and Chautauqua counties, the arts council invites applications.
The deadline to submit an intent to apply is before Dec. 8. Full grant applications are due by Dec. 15.
In 2000, the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) appointed the Tri-County Arts Council administrator of the Decentralization Program (DEC). DEC funding provides support for community-based arts and cultural activities through a local decision-making grant process that reflects the unique character of each community.
The grants fall into three categories:
• Individual Artist grants in the amount of $2,500 are awarded directly to professional artists for the creation of new work.
• Community Arts grants ranging from $500 to $5,000 are awarded to non-profit organizations, municipalities and sponsored individual artists and non-incorporated organizations in partnership with qualifying organizations to present arts and cultural programs of high artistic merit.
• Arts Education grants ranging from $500-$5,000 are available to eligible non-profit cultural organizations and individual artists in providing meaningful arts education. Funding is offered for two funding strands: K-12 in-school projects and after-school, and community-based learning.
Applicants must reside in Cattaraugus, Allegany, or Chautauqua counties and have done so for at least one year prior to the application deadline of Dec. 15. They must provide proof of residency (copy of driver’s license or utility bill), maintain a legal mailing address within the county during the grant project, be 18 years of age or older, and cannot be enrolled in any degree.
