named programs · 1 · from sources
What they call their work
Cultural Assistance Program (CAP) Grants
Annual grant program funding local arts projects across Essex County, supporting visual art, music, theater, film, literature, and historical programming through subawards to nonprofit organizations and community groups.
activities · 9 groups
What they do
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Art Museum Funding and Support 1 activity
- Administers Cultural Assistance Program (CAP) GrantsFunds arts and cultural organizations in Essex County, NY through the Cultural Assistance Program (CAP), using public funding to support local programming. Awards have been granted annually in 2023, 2024, and 2025.
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Regional Arts Advocacy & Promotion 1 activity
- Advocates for regional arts culture and connectionsPromotes a vibrant arts culture by connecting arts organizations, artists, and students with residents and visitors across Essex County.
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Performing Arts Production Support 1 activity
- Funds summer concert series and live music eventsProvides grant funding to support live music performances at the annual Essex Day celebration and other public events.
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Classical and Chamber Music Performances 1 activity
- Hosts classical and educational music programmingProduces a year-round piano-based concert series featuring diverse ensembles and lesser-known repertoire, includes educational school presentations and post-concert discussions, and hosts free weekly Wednesday evening concerts with professional musicians from around the world.
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Free Outdoor Music Concerts 1 activity
- Hosts recurring summer concert series in multiple locationsOrganizes free weekly summer concerts at various public venues including Mid's Park in Lake Placid, Wilmington Town Beach, and Jay’s Gazebo Lawn, featuring local and regional artists with programming that includes food vendors and community activities.
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Artist Support Grants 1 activity
- Operates Sunburst Award microgrant programProvides micro-grants of up to $500 to individual artists at all career stages across disciplines in Essex County to support career advancement and creative projects.
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Community Festival & Event Production 1 activity
- Organizes the Adirondack Folk Music FestivalHosts the 36th Annual Adirondack Folk Music Festival on the Helen Wildman Memorial Stage in Schroon Lake, featuring a curated lineup of performers, free public access, food trucks, and vendor booths.
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Opera and Vocal Arts Training Programs 1 activity
- Provides musical instrument access and artist trainingRefurbishes and repairs musical instruments and distributes them to students in North Country school districts who lack access, and trains emerging singers through an artist development program that includes opera and musical theater performances and in-school outreach.
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Community-Engaged Theater Production 1 activity
- Supports youth and community theater programsPresents plays, musicals, and original works through amateur theater productions and supports the Youth Academy 2023 program to bring diverse stories and storytellers to rural communities, employing local artists and maintaining historic venues.
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financials · form 990EZ · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$63K
Contributions & grants$63K100%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$66K
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits$14K
Grants paid out$45K
balance sheet
Total assets$58K
Cash—
Investments—
Liabilities—
Net assets$58K
4 years on record · 2021–2024 · YoY revenue +3.4%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Susan Hughes | Arts Administator | 12 | $14K |
board members · 4
- Evan Mack — Board Member
- Ginene Mason — Board Member
- Robert Fountain — Board Member
- Rose Chancler — Board Member
relationships · 118
Who they work with
- ADKAction Partner — Funded to organize the Keeseville Community Arts Festival in July 2023.
- ADKAction Partner — Receives CAP grant funding for Keeseville Community Arts Festival.
- Adirondack A&E Partner — Partnership to connect artists and arts groups with audiences through shared event promotion and visibility.
- Adirondack Art Association Partner — Receives CAP grant funding for art shows and community artist promotion.
- Adirondack Art Association Partner — Receives CAP grant funding to revive operations and host exhibits in Essex, NY.
- Adirondack Film Society Partner — Receives CAP grant funding for film series programming.
- Adirondack Film Society Partner — Receives funding to support a film series focused on global issues.
- Adirondack Lakes Center for the Arts Government — Administers the New York State Council on the Arts grant that supports the Songs at Mirror Lake concert series.
- Adirondack Park Institute Partner — Receives CAP grant funding for Artist in Residence program.
- Adirondack Park Institute Partner — Receives support for its Artist in Residency Program connecting science and humanities.
- Adirondack Regional Theatre Partner — Receives CAP grant funding for Shakespeare in the Park production.
- Ballard Park Partner — Supported for its summer live music series in Westport, NY.
- Ballard Park Foundation Partner — Receives CAP grant funding for Summer Concert Series.
- Belden Noble Library Partner — Receives CAP grant funding for summer reading and arts programs.
- Belden Noble Memorial Library Partner — Receives funding for a summer learning program for children.
- CEF Library System Partner — Receives CAP grant funding for community art and creative aging programs in libraries.
- Cole Quest & The City Pickers Partner — Featured performers with a tribute to Woody Guthrie and bluegrass music at the festival.
- Craigardan Partner — Receives CAP grant funding for makers days and storytelling residencies.
- Dan Berggren & Friends Partner — Featured performers presenting 'Early Settlers of the ADKs' at the festival.
- Depot Theatre Partner — Board members serve as House Manager and Director of Education and Outreach at Depot Theatre, indicating an institutional partnership.
- Depot Theatre Partner — Receives CAP grant funding for youth theatre academy productions.
- Depot Theatre, Inc. Partner — Funded to support its Youth Academy 2023 program.
- East Branch Friends of the Arts Partner — Receives CAP grant funding for local music events and performances.
- East Branch Friends of the Arts Partner — Supported to expand audience reach through concerts by Adirondack women.
- Elizabethtown Social Center Partner — Hosts summer concerts on Tuesday evenings.
- Elizabethtown Social Center Partner — Receives CAP grant funding for summer concert series.
- Essex Community Church Partner — Receives CAP grant funding for community concerts.
- Essex County Government — Primary funder of the Cultural Assistance Program (CAP) Grants
- Essex County Arts Council Network — Central organization supporting a network of artists and arts organizations in Essex County.
- Essex County Board of Supervisors Government — Funder of the Cultural Assistance Program (CAP) Grants
+ 88 more
strategies · 5
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Community-Engaged Arts Developmentmethodology: community_engaged_arts_developmentBy convening artists, organizations, and the public in accessible, participatory cultural experiences, ECAC fosters sustained community vitality and broadens engagement with the arts, because collective creative participation strengthens social cohesion and regional identity.
- Cultural Hub Model for Rural Engagementmethodology: cultural_hub_modelBy using theater, storytelling, and performance as anchoring cultural institutions, ECAC strengthens rural community engagement and stimulates local economic activity, because shared artistic spaces function as social and economic catalysts in geographically dispersed regions.
- Integrated Performance and Education Programmingmethodology: performance_education_integrationBy combining live performance with education and dialogue, ECAC deepens audience engagement and broadens understanding of both classical and underrepresented musical traditions, because experiential learning through art increases cultural inclusion and audience development.
- Local Artist and Organization Grantmakingmethodology: community_arts_grantmakingBy providing competitive grant funding to local artists and arts organizations—prioritizing those serving Essex County—ECAC strengthens the regional cultural ecosystem, because direct financial support enables sustainable, community-rooted programming and broadens public access to diverse arts experiences.
- Public Funding Partnership for Cultural Sustainabilitymethodology: public_funding_partnershipBy securing public funding through partnerships with county government, ECAC ensures long-term support for local cultural organizations, because institutionalized public investment stabilizes grassroots arts infrastructure and expands community access.