The Decentralization Program (DEC), initiated by the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA), aims to ensure that New York State’s cultural funding reaches every part of the state. Since 1977, DEC has focused on distributing arts funding broadly, and Saratoga Arts, specifically from 1993 and expanded in 2011, has been instrumental in administering these resources to foster community-enhancing and life-enriching arts programs across Fulton, Montgomery, and Saratoga Counties.
Community Arts Grants, administered by Saratoga Arts through the Decentralization (DEC) Program, aim to regrant public funds to artists, non-profit organizations, municipalities, and other government entities for the presentation of arts and cultural programs of high artistic merit in local communities. These grants support projects that are community-oriented, ensuring the arts are accessible to all citizens in the service areas. The grants encourage diverse, inclusive arts and cultural programming, originality in bringing the arts to the public, participation of underrepresented groups, and collaborative efforts within the arts community. Grant amounts range from $1,000 to $5,000 for projects that creatively connect community and art.