06/09/2026
PRESS RELEASE! BIG NEWS!
Foothills Performing Arts & Civic Center. was awarded $324,000 by the New York State Council on the Arts for sound proofing and building additional dressing rooms.
Oneonta, NY – Foothills Performing Arts & Civic Center announced today a grant award totaling $324,000 from the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) to support the organization’s goal of sound proofing their various event spaces, and to build an addition for more dressing rooms to the Production Center. This grant is part of a capital project funding announcement by NYSCA, which totals over $82 million to 132 arts and culture facilities across New York State.
With the current number of events that Foothills is hosting on a monthly basis, the only way to do even more is to sound proof the various event spaces from each other, and to add on additional dressing rooms to the Production Center. At present, there are substantial sound bleed issues between the Foothills event spaces, which makes it necessary to carefully schedule and stagger events around each other. Additionally, the Bettiol Theater and Production Center currently share a green room and dressing rooms. With the addition of the sound proofing and the new dressing rooms, Foothills will be able to host more events simultaneously, ensuring there are spaces available for arts, culture, private events, and events of all varieties more often.
“New York’s powerful arts and culture sector is a formidable asset,” Governor Hochul said. “Our continued investments in museums, theaters and art centers generate incredible returns — sparking innovation, boosting local economies, driving visitors and making us the global epicenter of arts and culture.”
New York State Council on the Arts Executive Director Erika Mallin said, “We know that when the arts flourish, communities follow — bringing energy, creating jobs, expanding accessibility, and increasing tourism. This grant program is a critical investment in our creative sector, empowering our creative community and inspiring innovation. Congratulations to all the grantees, we look forward to seeing these diverse projects develop all throughout the state.”
About the New York State Council on the Arts
The mission of the New York State Council on the Arts is to foster and advance the full breadth of New York State’s arts, culture, and creativity for all. To support the ongoing recovery of the arts across New York State, the Council on the Arts will award over $161 million in FY 2027, serving hundreds of arts organizations and artists across all 10 state regions. The Council on the Arts further advances New York's creative culture by convening leaders in the field and providing organizational and professional development opportunities and informational resources. Created by Governor Nelson Rockefeller in 1960 and continued with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature, the Council is an agency that is part of the Executive Branch. For more information on NYSCA, please visit www.arts.ny.gov, and follow NYSCA's page, on X and Instagram .
