Astoria, LIC Arts Groups Get $1.7M In Funding, Senator Says

ASTORIA, QUEENS — More than 40 artists and creative organizations across Western Queens will get a much-needed boost as part of the state's record-high investment in the arts.

State Sen. Michael Gianaris on Monday announced the list of organizations in his district that will receive a combined $1.7 million in funding from the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA).

They include prominent institutions like Socrates Sculpture Park, which will receive a combined $69,500 to increase staff hours and rent a stage, among other uses.

The state's 2023 Fiscal Year budget, pased in April, included a record $140 million for NYSCA as part of an effort to revitalize New York's arts industry in the wake of the pandemic.

"The arts are the soul of western Queens and supporting this community is critical to our economic vitality," Gianaris said in a statement. "I am pleased so many groups are receiving support, and that the New York State Council on the Arts is using the Legislature’s investment thoughtfully in our community and across New York."

Other recipients include the Museum of the Moving Image ($50,000), Long Island City's Flux Factory ($115,000), the Noguchi Museum and foundation in Astoria ($59,500), and Sunnyside-based Boundless Theatre Company ($69,500).

Maria Manus, NYSCA's executive director, said that the "incredible breadth of world-class arts organizations in western Queens reflects its position as an international crossroads of language and culture.

"We are immensely grateful for the work of western Queens’ artists and arts organizations, activating the health, vitality, and economy of this spectacular community," she added.