~ Serving Artists and the Community Since 1963 ~
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The Putnam Arts Council, chartered by the NYS Department of Education in 1963, is the voice for the arts in Putnam County. Now entering its 60th year of service, the Council administers state and county funding programs for artists and local cultural organizations and plays a leadership role in the county-wide development of community arts programming and arts access for everyone.
As a nexus for the arts in Putnam County, the Putnam Arts Council manages the submission, review, and award process for the ARTS LINK Grant Program; the program disseminates public funds received from the New York State Council on the Arts through its Statewide Community Regrant Program, with support from the Office of the Governor and the NYS Legislature, as well as awards from Putnam County government.
The ARTS LINK program facilitates the presentation of quality arts exhibitions, performances and activities throughout Putnam County that are open to the public. ARTS LINK encourages the growth of artists and arts organizations, connects artists with their communities and helps to build a local and regional audience for the arts.
We are committed to providing artists with opportunities for artistic development and the public presentation of their work. While state funding has increased, grant requests to the Arts Link Grant Program usually exceed funds available and the process is competitive. Applications are evaluated by an advisory panel comprised of area artists, educators, business, and community leaders. Projects are rated on the artistic merits of the grantee, their capacity to execute a project, reach a broad audience, and generate the most benefit to the community. Advisory panel recommendations are submitted to the Board of the Putnam Arts Council for their consideration and approval. County funded grant recommendations are also approved by Putnam County Government. The Program is managed and monitored by the Putnam Arts Council with audits done by PAC’s Board and staff and with help from interested volunteers.
In 2023 the Arts Link Regrant Program will disseminate 25 awards totaling $44,793 to 20 non-profit cultural and community organizations throughout Putnam County. Fifteen arts projects will be supported by $30,800 in public funds, made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support from the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature. Public funds from Putnam County will total $13,993. Program awards ranged from $800 to $3500 with an average grant of $1500. All projects will take place in Putnam County and will be open to the public.
Arts on the Lake – sponsor for Putnam Dance Company – Kent
$850 Putnam County/ $1,650 New York State
2023 season with three dance events
new works, various professional companies, and children from the community
Arts on the Lake – Kent
$1,100 New York State
Summer Concerts
14th year of Friday Night Concerts in July feature high- level entertainment
in a variety of genres including Country, R&B, and Latin Jazz
Chapel Restoration – Philipstown, Cold Spring
$3,500 New York State
Sunday Music Series
8 classical music concerts feature internationally-renowned musicians
free of charge for the community from April – November
Doansburg Chamber Ensemble – Mahopac
$2,800 New York State
Six chamber ensemble concerts
performed on both sides of Putnam County and live-streamed
Patterson Library – Patterson
$808 Putnam County/ $1600 New York State
Cultural Celebration of the Arts –
music & dance performances with Calpulli Mexican Dance or
John Grady and his African Drums and Dancers
Putnam Chorale – Brewster
$2,800 New York State
Local amateurs and aspiring singers work with a professional music director
to present choral works: Bruckner’s Missa Solemnis and Haydn’s Heilige Mass
Putnam Symphony Orchestra
$2,800 New York State
2023 Performance Season
Spring Pops Concert and Winter Holiday Concert
at Brewster High School Performing Arts Center
Tompkins Corners Cultural Center –Putnam Valley
$800 Putnam County / $800 New York State
John Cohen Memorial Concerts
Weekend performances in May, June and July
featuring high level, multi-genre musicians
Tompkins Corners Cultural Center –Putnam Valley
$1,150 New York State
Classics at the Corners
2nd annual classical music concert featuring the Cortlandt String Quartet
Town of Southeast Cultural Arts Coalition: – Village of Brewster
$800 Putnam County
Free Summer Concert Series – Six Saturdays starting in June presenting
a diverse selection of bands that appeal to all age ranges and cultures
Town of Southeast Cultural Arts Coalition: – Village of Brewster
$1750 Putnam County
Concerts around the Corner
4 concerts with world class performers curated by Bob Zubrycki
Boscobel House and Gardens – Philipstown, Garrison
$800 Putnam County
painting on location, free site admission for artists on select weekdays
April through November
Brewster Public Library – sponsor for Nowodworski Foundation – Brewster
$1,100 Putnam County
Discovering Putnam County
visual arts workshops for children, teenagers and families
Garrison Art Center – Philipstown, Garrison Landing
$1,500 Putnam County
Visiting Artist Community Program
Free solo exhibition for a working visiting artist
Free workshops and lectures for the community
Arts on the Lake – Kent
$1,000 Putnam County
Strengthening Connections
3 theatre events : a new play in conjunction with the Putnam Theatre Alliance,
Credenza by Ron Hutchinson, and a community story-telling project
Brewster Theater – performs in Carmel
$3,000 New York State
2023 Season – 3 Mainstage Productions,
readings and workshops performed at Drew Methodist Church
Cornell Cooperative Extension – Brewster
$2,500 New York State
4H Puppeteer Players
Creative storytelling for tweens and teens through the art of puppetry
with presentations designed to foster positive decision making
Performed at libraries throughout Putnam County
Garrison Landing Association as sponsor for Aery Theatre Co. – Philipstown
$2,700 New York State
Aery One Act Play Festival
20 one act plays written/directed/acted by local artists
Plays are judged by a combination of audience voting and a panel of judges
Kent Library
$2,500 New York State
Willy Wonka Children’s Theatre
Local children will be introduced to performing, singing, and dancing through
their participation in a production of Willy Wonka
Free performances at local libraries open to the public in August 2023
Patterson Library
$800 Putnam County
Summer Theater Experience
produced and performed exclusively by local teens
Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival – Philipstown, Garrison
$1,100 Putnam County
BAKE-OFF Community Playwriting
Hudson Valley residents participate in a series of free playwriting workshops
that culminate in a free public reading series
Collaborative Concepts — Outdoor exhibition Brewster/Southeast
$1085 Putnam County / $1,000 New York State
Sculpture at Tilly Foster Farm
Site specific sculpture installation with reception and music at opening
September – October
Town of Carmel Dept of Recreation
$800 Putnam County/ $900 New York State
Red Mills Historic Park (Mahopac)– Site Specific Sculpture Exhibit
May – November
Julia L. Butterfield Library – Cold Spring
$800 Putnam County
Writers Reading Series – Spoken Word, Storytelling and Meet the Author
About the New York State Council on the Arts
NYSCA preserves and advances the arts and culture that make New York State an exceptional place to live, work and visit. The Council upholds the right of all New Yorkers to experience the vital contributions the arts make to our communities, education, economic development, and quality of life. To support the ongoing recovery of the arts across New York State, NYSCA is awarding record funding in Fiscal Year 2023, providing support across the full breadth of the arts. NYSCA further advances New York’s creative culture by convening leaders in the field and providing organizational and professional development opportunities and informational resources. Created by Governor Nelson Rockefeller in 1960 and continued with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature, the Council is an agency that is part of the Executive Branch. For more information on NYSCA, please visit http://www.arts.ny.gov, and follow NYSCA’s Facebook page, Twitter @NYSCArts and Instagram @NYSCouncilontheArts.