All ABOUT THE ONTARIO COUNTY ARTS COUNCIL
The Ontario County Arts Council has been active for many decades, based in Canandaigua, but serving residents of the entire county. The purpose of the Arts Council is to enhance the creative arts in our region, with 140 members at the present time. Members consist of visual and performing artists and other local citizens who appreciate and support, culture, art, music, and architecture. OCAC supports artistic endeavors with monetary, scholarship, and restoration grants to other non-profit groups in our county.
We host a musical performance each year to benefit our Mariner Family Arts Scholarship Fund. A $2,000. Arts scholarship is awarded each fall to a deserving Visual or Performing returning student to Finger Lakes Community College.
OCAC also runs a Rotating Art Exhibit program for selected members. Rotating Exhibitors are juried in as space becomes available. We currently show painting and photography at ten office locations throughout the county. The host locations (Lattimore PT, CNB, Ortho Urgent Care, etc.) pay a $100 donation/fee each year, which also goes towards our grants and scholarship funds. Our website OCARTS.ORG lists and features artwork from the rotating artists.
In 2018 OCAC entered into a partnership with the Ontario County Historical Society Museum located on Main Street in Canandaigua. The Arts Council holds long running themed exhibits in the North Gallery of the museum from April to December of each year. Lectures and art workshops were also held at the museum in conjunction with the themed exhibits. In 2020 we will also partner with the Fort Hill Performing Arts Center and provide art exhibits in the main lobby at that facility year round.
OCAC also sponsors a Members' Art Exhibit at least once a year. In 2015, it was held at the Wood Library, 2016 at Finger Lakes Gallery & Frame. Finger Lakes Community College was the site of our 2017 OCAC Members Showand Cheshire Union Gallery in 2018. In 2019, we will be back at the Wood Library Ewing Community room from Feb. 2 to March 15.
Other local gallery shows and opportunities that we are aware of are shared with OCAC members via quarterly newsletters, on our website, Facebook page and by email.
The OCAC Board of Directors work closely with other organizations within the county, such as the Ontario County Historical Society, Fort Hill Performing Arts Center, Sonnenberg Gardens & Mansion, Canandaigua Chamber of Commerce and B.I.D., Arts in Canandaigua Galleries, and the City of Canandaigua. OCAC also has a long term Community Outreach Project to supply grants, art workshops and art exhibits to the public libraries in Ontario County.