SCHENECTADY (May 5) – The Upstate Theater Coalition for a Fairgame is pleased to announce it has awarded $165,000 in grants to non-profit arts and cultural organizations in three New York State regions—Capital, Catskills and Southern Tier. Not-for-profit organizations based in 27 counties* were eligible to apply for grants from $1,000–$5,000.

The Upstate Theater Coalition for a Fairgame was created in partnership with the State of New York and the casinos in the three gaming regions: Rivers Casino & Resort Schenectady, Resorts World Catskills, del Lago Resort & Casino and Tioga Downs Casino Resort. Coalition members are: Bardavon Presents (Poughkeepsie), Bethel Woods Center for the Arts (Bethel), Clemens Center (Elmira), Forum Theatre (Binghamton), Palace Performing Arts Center (Albany), Proctors (Schenectady), Rochester Broadway Theatre League’s Auditorium Theatre (Rochester), Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs City Center, State Theatre of Ithaca, Times Union Center (Albany) and Troy Savings Bank Music Hall.

Every Fairgame member is dedicated to enriching its surroundings, presenting the finest live events available, fostering education and offering affordability. Through its community commitment, the coalition created Fairgame Arts Grants, a funding program to support organizations in associated regions. Since 2019, the Arts Grant has been awarded to more than 100 non-profit arts and cultural organizations and distributed more than $450,000 in funding.

Capital Region recipients include 440 State St. Inc., Albany Center Gallery, Contemporary Circus and Immersive Arts Center, Frank Chapman Memorial Institute, Home Made Theatre, LAKE GEORGE Opera Festival Association, Inc. (dba Opera Saratoga), Media Alliance, Inc., Millay Colony for the Arts, Music Haven, New York Folklore, Sand Lake Center for the Arts, Saratoga Chamber Players, Inc. and The Orchard Project.

Catskill Region recipients include Arm-of-the-Sea Productions, Inc., Arts Mid-Hudson, Athens Cultural Center, Bridge Street Theatre, Catskill Mountain Shakespeare, Delaware Valley Arts Alliance, DENIZEN Theatre, Forestburgh Playhouse, Gardiner Library, Hudson Opera House, Inc. dba Hudson Hall, Kingston Midtown Arts District, Nego Gato Inc., NYTOS, Pan American Dance Foundation, Inc. dba Woodstock Playhouse, Roxbury Arts Group, The Vanaver Caravan and Voice Theatre, Inc.

Southern Tier recipients include A Magical Journey Thru Stages, Inc., Binghamton Philharmonic, Inc. Binghamton Theater Organ Society, Circus Culture, Community Arts Partnership of Thompkins County, Corning-Elmira Musical Arts, Inc., Grupo Cultural Latinos En Rochester, Inc., Southern Finger Lakes Pride and The ARTS Council of the Southern Finger Lakes.

“As the President of the Fairgame group of theaters working with our three regions’ casinos, I am delighted that for the third year we are offering our cultural friends financial support for programs that better our communities,” said Troy Savings Bank Music Hall Executive Director Jon Elbaum. “So many programs were delayed or even cancelled because of the pandemic shutdown; this type of support often represents the difference between a great idea and a fully realized and measurably beneficial initiative. We are thrilled to be able to offer this funding once again.”

*Capital Region: Albany, Fulton, Montgomery, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie and Washington counties.

Catskills Region: Columbia, Delaware, Dutchess, Greene, Orange, Putnam, Sullivan and Ulster counties.

Southern Tier: Broome, Chemung, Monroe, Ontario, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Tioga, Tompkins, Wayne and Yates counties.