Art and cultural institutions of all sizes across Erie County will soon be seeing capital improvements following the investment of over $8.6 million in new county funding to support these organizations’ efforts, the initial investments of a $25 million initiative announced by Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz in his 2022 State of the County address. The Capital Projects Committee recommended thirty-six local organizations to receive a total of $8,655,127 in funding in this first year of the initiative, with awards ranging from $4,127 to $925,000.

“This capital improvements funding for art and cultural organizations will assist them in completing projects that they may not have been able to undertake by themselves and will strengthen the overall arts community in Erie County. These organizations improve our community’s quality of life in multiple ways and are an important part of our economy as well, so I am pleased to see that thirty-eight groups will be receiving funding under this first phase of the initiative,” said Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz. “Other organizations will be eligible to receive funding in upcoming years, spreading this investment out and enhancing it’s effectiveness. I thank the Capital Projects Committee and the staff from the Department of Environment and Planning for their help in assessing the applications and recommending this year’s awardees, and I look forward to the invigorating effects this funding will have on our local art and cultural community.”

A wide range of projects are included among the thirty-six awardees, including major building restorations and expansions, technology and equipment upgrades, HVAC and accessibility improvements, and facility repairs and renovations of all types. Included among the awardees are the Alleyway Theater, the Colored Musicians Club, the Eden Historical Society, Graycliff, the Hispanic Heritage Cultural institute, the Springville Center for the Arts, the WEDI West Side Bazaar Expansion Project, and many more.

Proposed funding is subject to legislature approval.

The list of awardees and amounts of awards can be found here: