Stissing Center for Arts & Culture received a grant of just over $1.5 million from the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) on May 14 for structural upgrades, repairs, innovative developments, and necessary building stabilization measures.
“I don’t look at this project as an endpoint, I look at it as a midpoint,” the center’s executive director, Patrick Trettenero, told the Herald. “110 years have led up to this moment, and we are now ensuring that the building will be ready for another 110 years. The fact that we can provide that for future generations is thrilling.”
The funds will be used for the restoration and renovation of the building, which is being undertaken in phases. The next phase consists of installing a steel skeleton within the building for stabilization and replacing and repairing parts of the slate roof. The work is expected to begin in July and continue through 2026.
“It means the world to us,” said Gwen Greene, the president of the center’s board of directors. “It will enable us to bring in the kind of programming and opportunities in the arts that we really don’t have in this area.”
The grant will also allow the center to construct a second, more intimate stage, as well as a space for parties, workshops, and educational outreach. Additionally, a professional kitchen will be added, enabling the nonprofit to host parties and events, generating a revenue stream.
The center also plans to add an addition in the rear of the building which will feature a crossover between stage left and right, allowing performers to easily exit and enter from both sides of the stage, as well as dressing rooms. It also plans to construct an ADA-compliant elevator.
The grant is part of the NYSCA’s Capital Projects Fund. According to Gov. Kathy Hochul, the $32 million awarded will be distributed to 102 nonprofit arts and culture centers to help fund renovations and repairs, improving organizations that serve communities across the state.
“I think [the grant] says that New York state really understands who we are, what we’re trying to achieve, and this really helps validate everything that we’re doing,” Greene said. “I think for our community, it will reinforce the fact that we are a place where everybody can come, everybody can feel welcome, everybody can enjoy themselves, and everybody gets that exposure to the arts that they might not otherwise have.”