CLINTON, NY — For the 4th year in a row, the Kirkland Art Center (KAC) has received a New York State Council for the Arts (NYSCA) Capital Grant. These grants are designed to support facility and major equipment improvements. This grant is part of a capital project funding announcement by NYSCA, which totals over $82 million to 132 arts and culture facilities across New York State.
New York State Council on the Arts Executive Director Erika Mallin said, “We know that when the arts flourish, communities follow — bringing energy, creating jobs, expanding accessibility, and increasing tourism. This grant program is a critical investment in our creative sector, empowering our creative community and inspiring innovation.”
In 2024, the Kirkland Art Center received nearly $2 million in funding from the Clinton Downtown Revitalization Initiative to rebuild a portion of its facility to improve art studios and accessibility, and create a community and teaching kitchen. While KAC continues to fundraise for this major construction project, the 2026 KAC NYSCA grant covers the purchase of four kilns and a water softening system to support programming once the construction is completed.
“We already have an affordable and lively ceramics program at the Kirkland Art Center,” stated executive director Anita Welych. “This grant will double our capacity, allowing adults and children even more access to the arts, and will be another part of our transformative project to make our facility more usable, accessible, safe, and energy efficient. This generous grant from NYSCA will allow us to better serve the public.”
About the New York State Council on the Arts
The mission of the New York State Council on the Arts is to foster and advance the full breadth of New York State’s arts, culture, and creativity for all. To support the ongoing recovery of the arts across New York State, the Council on the Arts will award over $161 million in FY 2027, serving hundreds of arts organizations and artists across all 10 state regions. 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 www.arts.ny.gov, and follow NYSCA’s Facebook page, on X @NYSCArts and Instagram @NYSCouncilontheArts.
