Legislature approves 2025 arts and culture grants for 54 events across Schenectady County

Schenectady County — The Schenectady County Legislature on May 5 approved awards from the 2025 Arts and Culture Grant Program, funding 43 organizations to support 54 events and projects across the county.

Jason Leque presented the committee recommendation, saying the arts and culture committee reviewed applications and proposed awards. "In front of you tonight is a recommendation from our arts and culture committee," he told the Legislature, noting the program is funded from the county's hotel/bed occupancy tax and has supported more than 800 events since 2002.

Why it matters: County officials said the program is intended to drive tourism and community participation by investing visitor‑generated hotel tax revenue back into local events and cultural projects. The 2025 awards will underwrite events including Niska Day, Schenectady Pride and Kids Arts Fest, among others, county staff said during the committee presentation.

Public comment: Betsy Sandberg, who gave her address for the record, thanked the county for funding and highlighted the Jazz on J lunchtime concert series beginning June 5 and Kids Arts Fest on June 7. "The food future looks very bright here across our county," she said.

Formal action and outcome: The committee moved the recommendation to the floor and the full Legislature approved the grants; the clerk recorded the roll call and the resolution passed (vote recorded as 11 ayes, one abstention noted during roll call and four absent). The committee presentation said the program has distributed more than $1.1 million since 2002 and supports cultural tourism that the county funds through the bed tax.

Ending: County officials and committee members said they expect the awards to produce events through the summer and into the fall; several grant recipients and events are scheduled in June.