Depot Theatre Academy students performing in SHREK JR, 2024.

A portion of NYSCA 2025 funding will support teaching artists for the Depot Theatre Academy outreach and education programs. (2024 performance of SHREK THE MUSICAL JR. Photo courtesy Betsy Bacot.)

Westport, N.Y. — The Depot Theatre in Westport, NY was awarded a $25,000 Support for Organizations grant from the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA).

The funding will support infrastructure and staffing for both the Depot’s main stage and Academy outreach and education programs for the 2025 fiscal year.

“We’re grateful for NYSCA’s continued support of the Depot Theatre and our mission,” said Kim Rielly, the Depot Theatre’s Executive Director. “As the Adirondacks’ only professional Equity theatre, this vital funding will support the artists and infrastructure that are necessary for us to continue to drive significant cultural and economic impact in our community and the greater region.”

Through New York State’s continued investment in arts and culture, NYSCA has awarded $82 million this year to 509 artists and 1,497 organizations across the state.

“As the unparalleled leader of arts and culture, New York’s creativity and innovation inspires the world,” Governor Hochul said. “Our continued investment in our dynamic creative sector will further boost tourism, strengthen our local economies, and continue New York’s success as a rich and vibrant place to live, work, and visit.”

The Depot Theatre is a non-profit, professional theatre located in a historic, functioning 1876 train station in Westport, N.Y., and it is the only theatre in the Adirondacks that operates under an agreement with Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States. The theatre’s upcoming main stage summer season and Academy opportunities will be announced in early 2025.

For more information about the Depot Theatre and its programs, visit DepotTheatre.org.

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ABOUT THE NYS COUNCIL ON THE ARTS

The mission of the New York State Council on the Arts is to foster and advance the full breadth of New York State’s arts, culture, and creativity for all. To support the ongoing recovery of the arts across New York State, the Council on the Arts will award $162 million in FY2025, serving organizations and artists across all 10 of the state’s regions. The Council on the Arts further advances New York’s creative culture by convening leaders in the field and providing organizational and professional development opportunities and informational resources.

Created by Governor Nelson Rockefeller in 1960 and continued with the support of Governor Hochul and the New York State Legislature, the Council is an agency that is part of the Executive Branch. For more information on NYSCA, please visit arts.ny.gov, and follow NYSCA’s Facebook page, on X @NYSCArts, and Instagram @NYSCouncilontheArts.

ABOUT THE DEPOT THEATRE

The Depot Theatre is a non-profit, professional theatre located in a historic, functioning 1876 train station in Westport, N.Y., and it is the only theatre in the Adirondacks that operates under an agreement with Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States. In addition to its volunteer board of trustees, the theatre depends on the support and generosity of its loyal donors, volunteers, and community members. Committed to promoting and providing exposure to the performing arts in the Adirondacks, the Depot Theatre invites all to “Take a journey without leaving the station.” The Depot Theatre’s 2025 programming is made possible in part by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.