We’ve been active in supporting downtown Oneonta through the issuing of awards totaling $23,000 to Community Arts Network of Oneonta (CANO) and the Greater Oneonta Historical Society of Oneonta (GOHS). Oneonta’s vitality is core to the cultural well-being of the county and support for downtown Oneonta benefits all Otsego County economically.
CANO has been well known for leading the area arts community for years but was in need of revitalization. CANO and its Board of Directors came to us with a strong plan to rebuild its organization and infrastructure, and as a result $12,000 was awarded. The award will help CANO pay the executive director, mount more art shows, and host more events throughout the coming year, something we can all look forward to.
“Hiring an Executive Director is crucial to CANO’s organizational and financial stability,” says Jim Maloney, Board President. “Funding the ED position has been my goal since joining the Board in 2009 and during my first and second terms as President. Filling this position allows CANO to increase our capacity and enhance our ability to fulfill our mission of promoting the arts, supporting artists, and engaging the community through exhibitions, performances, art education, and other programming.”
Another step in downtown economic and community development is the reopening of the Greater Historical Society of Oneonta. We’ve issued an $11,000 award for the reopening exhibit, “Small Community, Big Ideas: Greater Oneonta,” which takes a long and loving look at Oneonta’s rich history, even preceding incorporation in 1848. GOHS used the funds to buy equipment to mount this exhibit – and more to come. Visit GOHS and immerse yourself in our fascinating local history.
“We are thrilled to reopen our doors with our new first-floor space and permanent exhibition,” said Dr. Marcela Micucci, GOHS’ Executive Director. “We are grateful to the Foundation for helping us make our new exhibition come to life with interactive, audio, and visual components, and we look forward to sharing this milestone with our local community. Our reopening is a testament to GOHS’ mission to promote and preserve our history for Oneonta’s future, while encouraging residents and visitors to visit Main Street and keep growing community involvement in the humanities and the arts.”
A healthy arts community enhances the county’s quality of life and a vibrant historical society amplifies community pride. With these two awards, our Foundation demonstrates its commitment to helping nonprofits grow and expand their capacity to benefit all county residents and visitors.
(Above photo, left to right) Jim Maloney, CANO Board President. Hope Von Stengel, CANO Executive Director. Jeff Katz, CFOC Executive Director. Photo: Tammy Doyle
