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Society of Illustrators Receives 2024-2025 New York State Council on the Arts
Support for Organizations Grant Multi-Year Award Totaling $99,000

Left Photo: SI 2023 Spring High School of Art & Design Children’s Book Illustration Workshop Student
Center Photo: SI/NYC Parks 2023 Spring Academy Botanical Illustration Workshop led by Adela Antoinette
Right Photo: SI/NYC Parks 2023 Summer Academy trip to Museum of Natural History led by Chad Wallace

New York City, NY (December 5, 2023) – The Society of Illustrators (SI) is pleased to announce that they have received a 2024-2025 New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) Support for Organizations Grant multi-year award totaling $99,000. The new funding will support the Society’s free year-round Art Education Grades K-12 Programs for underserved youth from New York City’s economically challenged neighborhoods.

This announcement follows Governor Kathy Hochul’s approval of more than $46 million in NYSCA Grants to over 1,000 nonprofits and 500 individual artists throughout New York State. These vital grants help supplement the State’s vibrant creative economy by building community, boosting tourism and local business, and strengthening the collective health of its citizens. With more than $34 million already awarded as multi-year grants to 729 organizations, the latest funding round for FY2024 brings this fiscal year’s totals to $80 million in grants for New York State arts and culture sector.

According to Governor Hochul, “Research confirms what we’ve always known here in New York: arts and culture are a powerhouse, with a staggering return on investment for our economy and our communities. Nonprofit arts and culture organizations and their audiences generated $151.7 billion in economic activity nationwide in 2022 and New York’s unparalleled arts and culture sector is leading the way to benefit our residents, our students, and our visitors every day. I commend these grantees on their achievements and look forward to their contributions in the coming year.”

“Thanks to the unwavering support of Governor Hochul and our Legislature, NYSCA is so proud to support the work of these organizations and artists from all across New York,” noted NYSCA Chair Katherine Nicholls. She continued to underscore the Governor’s statement with, “Spanning the entire breath of the arts and culture sector – from world-renowned performers to after-school programs, from long established museums to community arts collectives – these organizations and artists together are a powerful driver of health, tourism, economy and education for our residents and visitors. On behalf of Council and staff, congratulations to all our NYSCA grantees and thank you for your perseverance, your creativity, and your tireless service to New York State.”

Responding to the Governor’s award announcement, SI Executive Director Arabelle Liepold said, “The Society of Illustrators is grateful for receiving this prestigious multi-year NYSCA Grant that will enable us to serve 2,100 Grades K-12 students over the next two years with free afterschool art workshops led by prominent illustrators from various genres. This critical funding underwrites the costs of student art supplies and teaching artists’ fees, among other expenses incurred to conduct our high-quality art programs.”

SI’s free K-12 Programs offered yearly include their longstanding Winter, Spring, and Summer Drawing Academies for underserved Grades 5-8 students in collaboration with NYC Parks, Fall/Spring High School Career Exploration & Portfolio Building Workshops for Grades 9-12 students, and Saturday Stories Monthly Workshops for Grades K-4 students and their families. For more details regarding the Society’s art education programs for children and teens ages 4 to 18, visit: https://societyillustrators.org/community/.

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