We are excited to announce our 2021 DEC grant recipients! This year, we have awarded $122,500 in New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) Decentralization (DEC) grants to individual artists and arts organizations in Erie and Niagara counties for the production of 46 arts projects in 2021. The projects span nearly every artistic discipline, including music performances, theatre productions, workshops, visual art exhibitions, literary projects, and more with many serving marginalized and under-resourced communities.
2021 Grant Recipients:
- 13 Players Inc.
- Artpark & Company
- Bertrand Chaffee Hospital Foundation
- Boys & Girls Club of East Aurora
- Boys & Girls Club of the Northtowns
- Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy
- Buffalo Silver Band
- Buffalo Society of Artists
- Carnegie Art Center
- Chromatic Club
- Concord Historical Society
- Cynthesis Studios
- Danceability Inc.
- Devi Bollywood Performing Arts
- Enlightenment Bookstore and Literary Arts Center
- Erie Regional Housing Development Corp d/b/a The Belle Center
- Foundlings Press
- Harmonia Chamber Singers
- Kenan Center
- Learning Disabilities Association of WNY/ Starlight Studio and Art Gallery
- Liminal Space Ensemble
- Lock City Glee Club
- Lockport Locks Heritage District
- Los Artistas Del Barrio
- Mojo Market
- Movement of Various Identities (MOVI)
- NetPositive / The Foundry
- Nicole Caruana
- Nusantara Arts
- O’Connell & Company Productions
- Old First Ward Community Association
- Pappy Martin Legacy Jazz Collective
- Peach Mag
- Rich Tomasello
- Second Generation Theatre Co.
- Shea’s Performing Arts Center
- Stitch Buffalo
- Suburban Adult Services/ Moving Miracles Dance Studio
- Tara Sasiadek
- The Buffalo Institute for Contemporary Arts (BICA)
- The Nature Sanctuary Society of Western New York
- Theatre in the Mist
- Town of Brant
- Village of Blasdell
- Village of Springville
- Willie Hutch Jones Educational & Sports Program
The purpose of the DEC grant program is to foster continued development of local arts programming based on the needs of the community. DEC support enables artists and organizations to grow while enhancing the cultural climate in the communities and neighborhoods where they live and work.
Applicants could request funding between $500-5,000 for arts-based projects. ASI received 77 application requests and a total funding request of $302,933. The grant recipients were selected by a panel of arts leaders from the region who reviewed all the applications and made the funding recommendations. All funded projects will take place during the 2021 calendar year.
Click here to learn more about the DEC grant program.