THE ART$WCHALLENGE, A PUBLIC/PRIVATE MATCHING GRANT PROGRAM
Westchester County Executive George Latimer and the Westchester County Board of Legislators recently joined with ArtsWestchester to announce that 102 Westchester arts organizations are the recipients of matching funds from the Art$WChallenge grant program.
In what has been a record-breaking year, participating arts organizations raised $786,541 in new private funds from 1,320 donors through the program, which ended Dec. 31. These private funds were matched with $501,571 in Westchester County support, providing in total $1.28 million in financial support for the arts community at a critical time when arts groups are working to build back arts audiences lost during the pandemic.
County Executive George Latimer said, “Since the inception of the Art$WChallenge in 2007, this powerful public/private program has raised over $6 million to support Westchester”™s arts and cultural sector, matched with more than $3 million in county support. The county”™s arts community has weathered a difficult few years. In fact, there has never been a more important time to help the arts make a comeback with broad and enthusiastic support than now.”
Grantees included arts organizations in every corner of Westchester.
Janet T. Langsam, CEO of ArtsWestchester said: “”¦With the cultural sector generating more than $172 million in economic activity pre-pandemic, this vital community investment will help us in our effort to ensure Westchester”™s cultural infrastructure for the future.”