Artists may still live on the fringes, but in City Councilwoman Laurie Cumbo‘s 35th Council District the axiom starving artists may no longer apply.
That after the Fort Greene/Clinton Hill/Prospect Heights lawmaker announced yesterday that her district will receive a total of $17,115,000 million in funding for after school arts programming and cultural institutions through a collaboration between her office, the New York City Council, Mayor de Blasio, and Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams.
“In communities across this city, there is no greater way to bring the diverse communities of New York City together than through the arts. I am proud to be able to work with my partners in government to bring resources to so many incredible and deserving organizations that make Brooklyn, New York the greatest place in the world for cultural creation and exchanges,” said Cumbo.
Among the organizations receiving $20,000 allocations under the Cultural After-School Adventures Program initiative are The Brooklyn Music School, Girl Be Heard Institute, Scenarios USA; Irondale Productions, Inc., the Noel Pointer Foundation, NY Writer’s Coalition, The Brooklyn Steppers, Inc.; and the University Settlement Society of New York, Inc.
The the arts organizations that received big funding include:
- BRIC – $130,000
- Brooklyn Museum – $3 million
- Gallim Dance Company, Inc. – $82,000
- Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts (MoCADA) – $3,5 million
- Prospect Park Alliance – $3.2 million
- Brooklyn Academy of Music, Inc. (BAM) – $500,000
- Issue Project Room – $250,000
- Brooklyn Botanic Garden – $1 million
- Brooklyn Navy Yard – $2.5 million
- Fort Greene Park – $1.5 million
- Irondale – $60,000
- Dancewave – $320,000
- Theatre for a New Audience – $913,000.
“I am proud to join with Council Member Cumbo to increase funding for Brooklyn’s after school arts programs. Furthermore, I commend the many arts institutions and non-profits for their efforts to cultivate a child’s mind to think creatively,” said Adams.
“Brooklyn is the center of the arts universe, and our residents create beauty in art every day from the inspiration of our multi-cultural neighborhoods. Art should be accessible for all, and that is especially true for our children. Considering that art does so much to shape a creative, problem-solving young mind, we should do everything we can to foster children to create art. These after school programs will have a lasting impact on maintaining our status as a world class arts city,” the Borough President added.
“Due to Council Member Cumbo’s extraordinary leadership, the Brooklyn Museum received a $1M capital grant from the City Council to renovate and expand the Museum’s Education Division, which is at the heart of what the Museum does – actively educate and engage with our communities. We are grateful to Council Member Cumbo for her commitment to ensuring that her district has access to a wide array of arts and culture organizations. On behalf of the staff and leadership of the Brooklyn Museum we would like to thank Council Member Cumbo for her stalwart support of the Brooklyn Museum and the diverse constituents we serve,” said Arnold Lehman, Shelby White and Leon Levy Director, Brooklyn Museum.
“We are so excited to receive funding from Councilmember Laurie Cumbo, which allows us to provide string music instruction to underserved children in our New York City public schools,” said Chinita J. Pointer, Executive Director, Noel Pointer Foundation. “This instruction makes it possible for students to audition into specialized Middle and High schools and fosters discipline, develops character, builds self-esteem and the opportunity to perform and share the Love of Music!”
