City of Fulton Celebrates Opening of CNY Community Arts Center

Fulton, NY – The City of Fulton hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony to open the newly renovated CNY Community Arts Center. The completion of this project marks a significant milestone in ongoing downtown revitalization efforts. The project is a vital component of the city’s broader Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI), supported by a $10 million investment from New York State.

The CNY Community Arts Center received $352,000 through the DRI. The award supported the center’s redevelopment, including improved acoustics, a redesigned theater, and a revitalized exterior signage and mural. These upgrades establish the Arts Center as a key cultural anchor in Fulton's downtown landscape. The total project costs exceeded $600,000 and, after covid, initial costs increased. In 2022, the center was awarded $250,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funding through Oswego County to help support and complete the project.

"We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our New York State DRI partners: the Department of State (DOS), Empire State Development (ESD), and especially the NYS Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) agency for their generous support of the CNY Arts Center," said James Rice, Mayor of the City of Fulton.

Under Mayor Jim Rice's leadership and the City of Fulton Downtown Revitalization (DRI) Committee, the city’s DRI projects have driven significant impact to the City of Fulton.

 “New York State is proud to support the transformation of the CNY Arts Center as one of the City’s first completed DRI projects. The updated space will serve as an artists’ haven and incubator, supporting current and future generations of artists within the Central New York region,” said Holly Granat, Revitalization Specialist, New York State Department of State “I look forward to the ongoing progress and continued success of the City’s DRI implementation in close partnership with the NYS Department of State, Empire State Development Corporation, and NYS Homes and Community Renewal.”

Since its inception in 2011, the CNY Community Arts Center has been operated and maintained by a dedicated all-volunteer staff. Their support has fostered a thriving arts scene in Fulton and is driving progress across the city.

“This project is reflective of the kind of transformation we see happening across Fulton,” said Sara Broadwell, Executive Director at the Greater Oswego-Fulton Chamber of Commerce. “It is the direct result of years of dedicated effort and collaboration from numerous stakeholders. Today is an exciting milestone, and we look forward to seeing the continued progress and community energy that will be driven by other DRI projects as they too are completed.”

Other projects underway include LorBird, a restaurant owned and operated by Laurie and Will O’Brien, located at the former GJP and Dandee’s Donuts location, which began construction in 2023 and is set to open by the end of this year. Additional DRI projects in progress include the Oswego Health Expansion and Downtown Historic Marker & Signage Program, along with several Business Assistance projects. In total, there were 16 projects awarded–a combination of municipal, non-profit, and private with grants totaling $9.7 million. The city was initially awarded the DRI in 2019 for its vision and for project synergy but each project is contracted separately with New York State. The Fulton DRI Strategic Investment Plan can be found here.

The Arts Center will work in synergy with other downtown assets and DRI projects, including the historic public library, Pratt House Museum, the walking trail, and the marina, unlocking the full potential of downtown Fulton.

The ribbon cutting immediately followed the Downtown Revitalization Initiative Committee's meeting that was held at CNY Community Arts Center on Thursday morning. The committee has met regularly throughout the year and Thursday's meeting provided an update of all the projects to date. More information can be found on the City of Fulton's website here.