Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy Announces Funding for Arts and Cultural Organizations

Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy announced legislative approval authorizing more than $260,000 in funding to various Suffolk County arts and cultural organizations.

"Cultural arts invigorate the economy, enhance our vibrant downtowns and contribute to our quality of life here in Suffolk County," said Levy. "These funds are an investment in our local economy that will pay back dividends many times over, and provide a needed boost for the not-for-profit organizations."

The funding resolution, allocating $263,660 from a dedicated portion of the county's hotel/motel tax will be allocated, as recommended by the Cultural Affairs Citizens Advisory Board and the Suffolk Film Commission, as follows:

• Arena Players Repertory Theatre of L.I. ($15,000)
• Bridgehampton Historical Society ($5,000)
• Brookhaven Arts and Humanities Council, Inc. ($7,500)
• Byrd Hoffman Water Mill Foundation ($5,000)
• East End Arts and Humanities Council ($19,900)
• Greater Port Jefferson Arts Council ($12,000)
• Guild Hall of East Hampton ($5,000)
• Hallockville ($13,000)
• Heckscher Museum ($10,000)
• Huntington Arts Council ($19,000)
• Inter-Media Art Center ($19,395)
• Islip Arts Council ($12,660)
• Long House Reserve ($6,500)
• L.I. Museum of American Art, History & Carriages ($10,000)
• Oysterponds Historical Society ($5,000)
• Parrish Art Museum ($7,000)
• Smithtown Township Arts Council ($17,000)
• Stony Brook Foundation/Pollock-Krasner House ($5,000)
• Teatro Experimental Yerbabruja, Inc. ($7,000)
• Theatre Three Productions ($13,000)
• Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center ($18,000)
• Whaling Museum Society ($5,000)
• YMCA Boulton Center for the Performing Arts ($5,000)
• Tribeca Film Institute ($15,000)
• Cinema Arts Centre ($15,000)

Levy also announced approval of a resolution allocating $30,000 to the 2010 Long Island Winterfest's Jazz on the Vine program.

Additionally, he has filed a resolution, eligible for a vote on April 27, to allocate $109,857 in funds to the following organizations which in turn provide smaller grants for community arts groups:

• East End Arts Council ($24,156)
• Greater Port Jefferson-Northern Brookhaven Arts Council ($20,772);
• Huntington Arts Council ($19,201);
• Islip Arts Council ($24,572);
• Smithtown Township Arts Council ($21,156).