New York Multi-Arts Centers Consortium

The multi-arts centers of New York State have formed a cooperative known as NYMAC (New York Multi Arts Center Consortium) in order to share resources and information; to promote the common identity and mission of multi-arts centers throughout New York State; to obtain support and increase recognition for the individual arts centers and to advocate for the needs of the field.

The current forty two members of NYMAC are independent organizations that meet the criteria of a “multi-arts center” as defined by the State and Local Partnership Program of the New York State Council on the Arts: “A multi arts center is an organization that owns or operates an accessible cultural facility and provides a balance of arts and cultural activities including: exhibits and presentations in a wide variety of arts disciplines; educational offerings for a wide variety of age groups and resources for artists and community members.” NYMAC’s membership represents the entire state from its most northern region to Long Island.

What Happens at
Multi-Arts Centers?

Multi-arts centers serve diverse communities and populations across the state. They are located in rural villages, urban neighborhoods and suburban landscapes with a common mission to serve their communities through the arts. In communities that lack cultural diversity, the Centers engage visiting artists and arrange programs and exhibits that celebrate our ethnic and cultural differences. Most importantly, the Centers are a resource for creative expression, a place where a community can define its own cultural perspective. Throughout New York State Multi Arts Centers nurture creativity, enhance the quality of life and provide access to the arts and cultural for all our citizens.

While sharing a common basic mission, each of the NYMAC members are proud of their unique identity, and in being its community’s Arts Center. Within its doors, someone might listen to Bach for the first time, watch African Dance, take a class in playwriting, view paintings by Latina artists and attend a young poet’s reading – all in the same week. With a strong commitment to life long learning in the arts, multi-arts centers serve as a hub of activity for adult and senior citizens art classes. Professionals as well as beginners who have an interest in gaining skills in a variety of genres, such as life-drawing, memoir writing, or photography can discover their creativity at the local art center. The Centers also play an important role in providing children with their first exposure to and first hands on experiences in the arts. Across the state, preschool, after-school and weekend classes offer children the opportunity to learn skills in the performing, visual, and literary arts fostering necessary creative and critical thinking skills outside the classroom.

NYMAC
in the Community:

The benefits of a Multi-arts Center in your community and region are many. Multi-arts Centers enhance the quality of life in a number of ways, culturally, economically and socially.

· Multi-arts Centers provide leadership to assist the community in experiencing and creating art in a high-quality, professional context. Through exhibits, performances, films and lectures, they expand cultural knowledge and appreciation.

· Multi-arts Centers are committed to providing performing, visual, and literary artists with resources, including funding information, mentors, and teaching positions; opportunities for artistic development and experimentation; and a community context in which to create their art form. Multi-arts Centers provide spaces to create and present work and assist in developing audiences for the future.

· Multi-arts Centers serve as a powerful catalyst for the economic and cultural revitalization of a community, leveraging local and state monies back into their neighborhoods. Many Centers are located in restored neglected public buildings, preserving the cultural heritage of a community and serve as a center of activity bringing a new vitality to rural downtowns.

· Multi-arts Centers provide jobs in a community and employ hundreds of teaching artists, arts management professionals, facility maintenance staff, and clerical staff throughout the state. Many Multi-arts Centers offer summer arts camps creating dozens of part time summer work for young people.

· Multi-arts Centers generate additional jobs and economic impact through outsourcing of payroll and accounting services, IT technical support, printing and graphic design, and marketing and fundraising services.

· Multi-arts Centers offer volunteer opportunities in a community, fostering community building and goodwill.

· Multi-arts Centers reach out and collaborate with other educational, cultural, social service and business organizations. As collaborative partners, Multi-arts Centers help to meet the growing social needs within our communities and bring greater understanding through the arts.



NYMAC Map by County This Page is currently under construction! Please check back soon for more updates!
	Who Are We? The multi-arts centers of New York State have formed a cooperative known as NYMAC (New York Multi Arts Center Consortium) in order to share resources and information; to promote the common identity and mission of multi-arts centers throughout New York State; to obtain support and increase recognition for the individual arts centers and to advocate for the needs of the field. The current forty two members of NYMAC are independent organizations that meet the criteria of a “multi-arts center” as defined by the State and Local Partnership Program of the New York State Council on the Arts: “A multi arts center is an organization that owns or operates an accessible cultural facility and provides a balance of arts and cultural activities including: exhibits and presentations in a wide variety of arts disciplines; educational offerings for a wide variety of age groups and resources for artists and community members.” NYMAC’s membership represents the entire state from its most northern region to Long Island. What Happens at Multi-Arts Centers? Multi-arts centers serve diverse communities and populations across the state. They are located in rural villages, urban neighborhoods and suburban landscapes with a common mission to serve their communities through the arts. In communities that lack cultural diversity, the Centers engage visiting artists and arrange programs and exhibits that celebrate our ethnic and cultural differences. Most importantly, the Centers are a resource for creative expression, a place where a community can define its own cultural perspective. Throughout New York State Multi Arts Centers nurture creativity, enhance the quality of life and provide access to the arts and cultural for all our citizens. While sharing a common basic mission, each of the NYMAC members are proud of their unique identity, and in being its community’s Arts Center. Within its doors, someone might listen to Bach for the first time, watch African Dance, take a class in playwriting, view paintings by Latina artists and attend a young poet’s reading – all in the same week. With a strong commitment to life long learning in the arts, multi-arts centers serve as a hub of activity for adult and senior citizens art classes. Professionals as well as beginners who have an interest in gaining skills in a variety of genres, such as life-drawing, memoir writing, or photography can discover their creativity at the local art center. The Centers also play an important role in providing children with their first exposure to and first hands on experiences in the arts. Across the state, preschool, after-school and weekend classes offer children the opportunity to learn skills in the performing, visual, and literary arts fostering necessary creative and critical thinking skills outside the classroom. NYMAC in the Community: The benefits of a Multi-arts Center in your community and region are many. Multi-arts Centers enhance the quality of life in a number of ways, culturally, economically and socially. · Multi-arts Centers provide leadership to assist the community in experiencing and creating art in a high-quality, professional context. Through exhibits, performances, films and lectures, they expand cultural knowledge and appreciation. · Multi-arts Centers are committed to providing performing, visual, and literary artists with resources, including funding information, mentors, and teaching positions; opportunities for artistic development and experimentation; and a community context in which to create their art form. Multi-arts Centers provide spaces to create and present work and assist in developing audiences for the future. · Multi-arts Centers serve as a powerful catalyst for the economic and cultural revitalization of a community, leveraging local and state monies back into their neighborhoods. Many Centers are located in restored neglected public buildings, preserving the cultural heritage of a community and serve as a center of activity bringing a new vitality to rural downtowns. · Multi-arts Centers provide jobs in a community and employ hundreds of teaching artists, arts management professionals, facility maintenance staff, and clerical staff throughout the state. Many Multi-arts Centers offer summer arts camps creating dozens of part time summer work for young people. · Multi-arts Centers generate additional jobs and economic impact through outsourcing of payroll and accounting services, IT technical support, printing and graphic design, and marketing and fundraising services. · Multi-arts Centers offer volunteer opportunities in a community, fostering community building and goodwill. · Multi-arts Centers reach out and collaborate with other educational, cultural, social service and business organizations. As collaborative partners, Multi-arts Centers help to meet the growing social needs within our communities and bring greater understanding through the arts.