ABOUT US
The CREATE Council on the Arts is a not-for-profit, arts service organization. Our purpose is to broaden and enrich the quality of life in Greene, Columbia & Schoharie Counties by developing and strengthening all the arts and by fostering cultural and arts related activities.
CREATE stands for Council for Resources to Enrich the Arts, Technology & Education. Through our grant and community programs, we support the many facets of the area’s creative economy.
OUR VISION
We envision a community that celebrates artistic and cultural diversity and inspires creative engagement.
OUR MISSION
To support and advance the arts and cultural community by broadening and enriching creative resources and economic growth in the region.
HISTORY
Founded in 1975 as the Greene County Council on the Arts (GCCA) by a group that included Bill Cook, Ed White, John Wessel, Dena Crane, Ruben Garcia, Nan Guterman, Claudia Lane, Jim Starr and Kay Stamer. With support from NYSCA (New York State Council on the Arts) the council developed a strategy with public input and developed a plan for programs and services.
After opening our first office in 1976 in Athens, the council set out to develop the arts community in the region with many miltes stones over the years:
1980 – Moved from Athens to Catskill and opens Catskill Gallery and offices
1982 – Installed display cases at the Amtrak Train Station in Hudson
1986 – Received first Arts in Education & Decentralization grant funds from NYSCA
1997 – Assumes administration of NYSCA Decentralization regrants for Columbia County.
2012 – Assumes administration of NYSCA Decentralization regrants for Schoharie County
2012-2013
“Mainly Greene” was created from the New York State Council on the Arts through the Regional Economic Development Councils (REDC). “Mainly Greene” was a partnership project of four Greene County arts organizations using the arts as a Main Street business catalyst to promote the region’s cultural, historic and geographic adventures to residents and visitors. Sponsored by the Greene County Council on the Arts, this collaboration brought together Masters on Main Street, Catskill Mountain Foundation, Prattsville Art Workshop & Residency and the Zadock Pratt Museum to promote the arts and culture, events and excursions around Greene County.
2019 – We became CREATE Council on the Arts in 2019 to reflect our support of Greene, Columbia and Schoharie counties.