The Ontario County Arts Council is a non-profit organization with a membership of over 200 visual and performing artists and other members of our local communities who appreciate and support culture, art, music, and architecture. Established in 1989 to enhance the creative arts in Ontario County, we sponsor and co-sponsor numerous events, exhibits, and workshops, as well as support the arts with grants and scholarships. These include: 

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• Annual series of four juried exhibits are held from January to December in the North Gallery of the Ontario County Historical Society, and is sponsored in partnership with the Museum. Occasional workshops and lectures at the museum are held in conjunction with these exhibits. 

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• Annual series of juried member exhibits are held in the main lobby of the Fort Hill Performing Arts Center. A series of one and two person shows are planned for 2024.

• One non-juried member exhibit at the Wood Library, Canandaigua, in April. 

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• A Rotating Art Exhibit program at local offices and businesses that pay an annual $150 participation fee, which goes towards our grants and scholarship funds. Presently there are 19 contributing member artists at 14 locations in Ontario County

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• A $2,000 Mariner Family Scholarship is awarded each fall to a deserving visual or performing arts student at Finger Lakes Community College, and a musical performance is periodically held to help support this scholarship. Andrew K. Schoenfelder, Finger Lakes Community College music major, was the recipient for the 2023-24 academic year.

 

• ​An annual Community Grants Program is made available to other non-profit groups in Ontario County in support of the arts. Grants for 2024 were awarded to:​​

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Geneva Light Opera: $1,000 toward artist compensation for a production of Franz Lehár’s operetta “The Merry Widow” on July 25, 27 and 28 at Smith Opera House, Geneva. More information at: genevalightopera.com.

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The Dove Block Project: $1,000 covers artist compensation and workshop costs during Viva Geneva! Celebrating the Hispanic Culture of the Fingers Lakes, Sept. 15. Events feature petroglyphs by the ancient Taino people and papel picado, a Mexican folk art that involves cutting intricate designs into tissue paper. More information at: thedoveblockproject.org.

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The Country Lawyer Gallery of the Arts in affiliation with the Phelps Community Historical Society:  $1,000 supports the implementation of the 2024 exhibit calendar for the Country Lawyer Gallery of Arts, 7 Church St., Phelps. The gallery plans 21 exhibit opportunities for area artists and art students to show their work. More information contact countrylawyergallery2023@gmail.com

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Canandaigua City Parks and Recreation: $1,000 for paint for a mural outside of the Fire Department on Main Street in Canandaigua,  painted by youth in a summer recreation program.

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• ​Art grants, workshops and exhibits are made available to the public libraries in Ontario County and several local libraries are active participants in supporting the visual arts.​​