Dutchess County Arts Council

The Dutchess County Arts Council, founded in 1964, is a nonprofit arts service organization dedicated to strengthening and supporting artists and arts organizations in Dutchess County and the Mid-Hudson Valley region.

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Vision:

We envision Dutchess County as a place where a variety of high-quality art is produced and presented; residents are engaged in the arts as part of daily life; and where the strength of our county’s artistic and cultural life supports the social and economic vitality of our diverse communities.

Mission:

The mission of the Dutchess County Arts Council is to provide the leadership, funding, encouragement, and services necessary for the highest quality of art to thrive in our county and region, and for citizens to value the arts as an important part of daily life, economy, and social fabric of our communities.

We Value…

• the highest quality art, for its ability to empower residents, uplift communities, and enable citizens from all walks of life to transcend the mundane.
• community leaders and all entities within and outside our county who share and work to achieve common goals involving the arts.
• the diversity of cultures and people of our county for their central role as participants in a pluralistic society.
• continuous improvement as a leading nonprofit arts agency and service provider to artists, arts organizations, and citizens.

Programs & Activities

Summary

• Dutchess County Arts Fund, a united arts fund providing operating support to ten funded member organizations and three supported member organizations
• NYSCA Decentralization (Project) Grants for Dutchess and Ulster Counties
• NYSCA Arts In Education Grants for Dutchess and Ulster Counties
• Ulster County Cultural Services & Promotion Grants
• Conferences and Workshops: legal issues with Volunteer Layers for the Arts, How to Partner with Tourism, Donor Cultivation, etc
• Networking Sessions for artists and arts organizations
• Technical Assistance/ Tutorials and Arts Management Training Programs Exhibitions and Sales Opportunities: Annual Fine Art & Craft Market and Art in the Loft at the Millbrook Winery
• Publications & Columns: Art Along the Hudson, Art East, Public Art in Poughkeepsie, and Art Scene. Bi-weekly column in Poughkeepsie Journal and weekly column in The Hudson Valley News
• Electronic Communications: ArtScene E-edition, a weekly email with calendar highlights and grants information, informational website including promotional opportunities
• Cultural Awareness and Visibility: Arts Advocacy on the local, state, and national level, County Executive's Arts Awards
• Folk Arts Research and Presentations: One River Many Streams Festival; La Navidad en Nuetro Puebla, and others
• Public Art Programs