press releases

For Immediate Release

Now in its sixth year, the Cultural Tourism Initiative Grant Program strengthens New York’s ability to draw diverse visitors and foster exciting collaborative opportunities to market ethnic and artistic traditions. Developed to produce partnerships between local and regional arts and tourism  organizations, the grant program provides fund ing for cultural organizations to expand their marketing campaigns and capabilities. To be eligible, the selected groups must match the funding from other sources and must form a partnership with a local tourism agency. Grants for this year ranged from $10,000 to $25,000. Additional support is provided to each grantee in the form of technical assistance and through training workshops held throughout the state last fall.

This year’s grantees offer an exciting mix of cultural opportunities for travelers interested in anything from maple syrup in Genesee County or wine on Long Island to music tours in Harlem or outdoor sculpture and nature in Columbia County. Several of the partnerships are previous grantees who have made significant enhancements to their projects, adding new partners and increasing their scope to reach an even larger audience.

The tourism industry is New York State’s second largest industry, employs more than 750,000 people, and generates more than $5.2 billion per year in revenue for local and state governments. Arts organizations have a unique opportunity to expand and enhance the use of tourism in the creation, presentation, and promotion of the arts and cultural heritage in New York State. The New York Statewide Cultural Tourism Coalition define s cultural tourism as travel that is directed toward experiencing the rich arts, heritage, and diversity of the people and landscapes of New York State. Its findings also show that, in New York State, cultural and historic trips tend to last longer (5.2 nights vs. the U.S. average of 4.1 nights, excluding transportation); and cultural travelers spend more ($623 per trip vs. $457). By focusing on cultural tourism, New York State’s arts organizations are meeting the needs of travelers who are increasingly looking for regional tourism opportunities.

Arts groups are in the midst of tough economic times with state, national, and corporate philanthropic support at an all-time low. Cultural tourism is an innovative way for arts organizations to expose the public to new cultural heritage activities while generating much-needed revenue. Additionally, by pooling their resources to attract new visitors, arts organizations and local tourism agencies can play a significant part in the prosperity of their area by bringing in tax revenues for their region. Grantees can stimulate their local economies by generating new jobs and creating a renewed pride and recognition of the value of the arts and cultural heritage of their communities. Previously funded projects had an estimated economic impact of more than $50 million.

The Arts & Business Council on New York, a division of Americans for the Arts, stimulates partnerships between business and the arts that strengthen the New York State community. It accomplishes this mission with programs that promote volunteerism, build arts management capacity, gather and disseminate relevant information, and advocate closer ties between business and the arts. Forging these mutually beneficial relationships in New York is critical to the organization’s long-term vitality and growth.

Established as a result of the merger operations with Americans for the Arts in 2005, the Arts & Business Council of New York brings to its work the legacy and knowledge of 40 years of serving the community, now combined with the resources, history, and reputation of Americans for the Arts, the nation’s leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts in America.

The New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) is a state- funding agency dedicated to preserving and expanding the rich and diverse cultural resources that are and will become the heritage of New York's citizens. The Council strives to achieve its mission through its core grant- making activity and by convening field leaders, providing information and advisory support, and working with partners on special initiatives to achieve mutual goals.