(WNY News Now) – Niagara County – Niagara County Legislator Rich Andres, Chairman of the Economic Development Committee, has revealed that the Legislature has approved $300,000 in grants from the Cultural Endowment Fund to support 10 organizations across the county.
The fund was created in the 2024 budget from Niagara County’s share of revenue generated by Western Region Off-Track Betting (WROTB), which operates Batavia Downs Racetrack and Casino, as well as multiple off-track betting locations.
“We worked in conjunction with the Arts and Culture Coalition of Niagara County to devise a plan that would invest in some of a major institutions that help draw people to our community,” said Andres. “Our expectation is that this will be a worthwhile investment as culturals are proven to drive economic activity and enhance a community’s quality of life.
The organizations receiving grants are:
Artpark & Company $112,662
Niagara Aquarium Foundation (DBA Aquarium of Niagara) $69,147
Old Fort Niagara $24,939
Kenan Center $20,439
Castellani Art Museum at Niagara University $13,447
Niagara Arts & Cultural Center ` $8,497
Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Commission $6,015
Carousel Society of the Niagara Frontier
(DBA Herschell Carrousel Factory Museum) $4,850
The Riviera Theatre $20,000
Historic Palace Theatre $20,000
“The Legislature is committed to making strategic investments in programs that promote growth, and we try to do so without using tax dollars, but rather other sources, like the WROTB funds in this case,” said Andres. “We will require reporting on the use and impact of monies allocated through the Cultural Endowment Fund which will help determine whether the program should be continued, or even expanded, in future years.”
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