Ancram Center receives $50k grant to expand

Ancram Center for the Arts in Ancram, N.Y., has been awarded a $50,000 grant from the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) to support the renovation and expansion of its facilities. This grant is part of a larger NYSCA initiative, which is distributing over $32 million to 102 capital projects throughout New York State.

The funding will be used to renovate a recently acquired adjacent building, known as The Annex. The Annex will provide accommodations for theater staff and a community room for the Center’s free classes and workshops. Additionally, the space will be available to other local groups for meetings and small gatherings.

Said Jeffrey Mousseau, co-director of The Ancram Center, “We acquired this house next to us, so we were literally expanding our footprint to include this new building and in a way, creating a min-campus.” In 2023, The Ancram Center produced 90 events, including theatrical productions, concerts, and workshops, serving approximately 1,700 individuals. This grant will help them expand not only their current space, but also the continuation of their mission to bring innovative, contemporary theater and community programs to Ancram.

The Ancram Center is optimistic that The Annex will be complete by this time next year. The 2024 Season starts Saturday, June 1 with a family-friendly open house.

For more information about the Ancram Center for the Arts, visit www.ancramcenter.org. To learn more about the New York State Council on the Arts, visit www.arts.ny.gov.

An interior rendering of the renovated Annex.Provided