Friday, February 17, 11:00 am, at the Palace Performing Arts Center

Area leaders of Alive Downtowns!, an organization representing thirteen upstate cities will meet with local mayors and the Capital Region Assembly and Senate representatives to continue to advocate for inclusion of $20 million in the state budget to support their respective performing arts centers as economic engines for their downtowns.

Kevin Johnson of the Palace Performing Arts Center,  Philip Morris of Proctors, and Jon Elbaum of Troy Music Hall will be joined by Mayor Kathy Sheehan of Albany, Mayor Gary McCarthy of Schenectady, and Mayor Patrick Madden of Troy as well as Senator Neil Breslin and Assemblymembers John McDonald, Patricia Fahy, and Phil Steck to discuss our region’s advocacy for this important budget initiative. The meeting will be in the lobby of the Palace Performing Arts Center in downtown Albany at 11:00 am on Friday, February 17. 

While Alive Downtowns! has for many years been supportive of the television and film credit and the post COVID-19 Broadway production credit and continue to be, it is critical for the state to support the upstate historic theaters from Buffalo to the Hudson Valley to keep investment in upstate cities strong and future oriented. 

Alive Downtowns! members are Bardavon 1896 Opera House (Poughkeepsie), Clemens Center (Elmira), Palace Performing Arts Center (Albany), Proctors Collaborative (Schenectady, Albany, Saratoga), The Reg Lenna Center for the Arts (Jamestown), Rochester Broadway Theatre League’s Auditorium Theatre (Rochester), Shea’s Performing Arts Center (Buffalo), The Smith Center for the Arts (Geneva), Stanley Theatre (Utica), State Theatre of Ithaca, Syracuse Area Landmark Theatre, Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, and Ulster Performing Arts Center (Kingston). 

Together these facilities employ over 1,000 people and have an economic impact more than $350 million dollars per year.  They are seeking core operating support from the state similar to what is provided to New York’s zoos, aquariums, and public broadcasting. 

Philip Morris, CEO of Proctors Collaborative in Schenectady and founding member of Alive Downtowns! said, “We have high hopes our legislators would see the immense value for the state to support our historic downtown performing arts centers.  These 100 year old facilities have gone from near demolition to be essential institutions in each of our communities.  We want that to continue.” 

Alive Downtowns! is an affiliate corporation to the Upstate Theater Coalition for a Fairgame, established eight years ago in response to the establishment of casinos in the eastern and southern tiers of the state. More information about Alive Downtowns! can be found at: afairgame.net.