Bill > A06296

This bill establishes a statewide system of regional arts, cultural affairs, and parks grants by creating ten distinct geographic regions across New York State. Each region will have a seven-member regional council appointed by the governor, assembly speaker, and senate president, composed of local experts from arts, cultural, and parks organizations. These councils will be responsible for issuing competitive grants to arts and cultural organizations within their respective regions for capital projects. The bill mandates a balanced approach to grant distribution, requiring that an equal amount of funding be allocated to organizations with larger and smaller operating budgets (specifically, those with budgets over $10 million in New York City, and over $5 million in other regions). The councils must follow criteria established by the governor when selecting grant recipients, and are prohibited from awarding grants to organizations that have received funding under this program within the past three years. Additionally, no more than 50% of a council's annual grant money can be directed to parks organizations. The regions include diverse areas such as Long Island, New York City, Mid-Hudson, Southern Tier, Capital Region, Mohawk Valley, North Country, Central Region, Finger Lakes, and Western Region, each defined by specific county compositions.

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https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A6296