Resources By Discipline

Make your organization even stronger — find links below to organizational and professional development opportunities, funding support, technical assistance, and more, tailored to NYSCA program disciplines. Discover more, including listings of NYSCA-supported artist residencies, on NYSCA's Individual Artist Resources and Nonprofit Resources pages. 

Architecture + Design

Arts Education

Dance

Electronic Media & Film

Facilities Projects

Folk Arts

Literature

Museum

Music

Presenting

Special Arts Services

State & Local Partnerships

Theatre

Visual Arts

Architecture + Design

Preservation League of New York State

In partnership with NYSCA manages the Preserve New York and Technical Assistance Grant programs, provides technical services, makes loans, effects policy and offers awards in excellence, to champion the essential role of preservation in community revitalization, sustainable economic growth, and the protection of historic buildings and landscapes.

AIA (The American Institute of Architects)
  • Services include honors and awards for the best buildings and spaces, a database for career opportunities, courses, and a constantly updated list of safety standards and sustainable practices.
  • Hosts professional development events and workshops across the country
New York Landmarks Conservancy

Provides grants, loans, technical assistance, programs and advocacy to help building owners preserve the historic character of structures, and contribute to economic revitalization and aesthetic rehabilitation of historic architecture in New York State.

Adirondack Architectural Heritage

Offers technical assistance, awards and programs to preserve the architecture and communities of the Adirondacks through education, action and advocacy.

Landmarks Society of Western New York

Offers grants, preservation planning services, programs, and awards, to help western New York’s communities preserve and capitalize on their rich architectural , historical and cultural heritage.

Arts Education

New York City Arts in Education Roundtable
  • Offers educational seminars, workshops and panels, regular meetings with field leaders and policy makers, and advocacy initiatives.
  • Hosts the leading arts-in-education conference in the New York City area, the Face to Face Conference.
New York State Learning Standards for the Arts
  • Resource providing up to date information and data on arts programming and the field’s standards. 
  • Offers advice on implementing new regulations as well as guidelines for creating arts curricula that address 21st century needs.
National Core Arts Standards
  • Provides narrative documents that outline the philosophy, primary goals, dynamic processes, structures, and outcomes that shape student learning and achievement in dance, media arts, music theatre, and visual arts. 
  • Offers customizable handbooks on the anchor standards, model cornerstone assessments, standards for different artistic disciplines and processes.
Americans for the Arts

Offers tools, research, and training for art professionals to advocate for the arts and demonstrate their economic, social and educational benefits. 

Dance

NYS DanceForce
  • Provide core funding for creative or teaching residencies, audience education and development projects, networking initiatives.
  • In partnership with NYSCA, hosts residencies across upstate NY.
  • Hosts think tanks for members to discuss challenges, share ideas and view new work.
Dancers Fund

Supports dancers dealing with injuries through individual and group counseling; referrals for healthcare and health insurance; information and advocacy related to workers’ compensation and disability insurance; educational seminars on injury prevention, nutrition and wellness; emergency financial assistance; and connection to other dancers to share experiences, resources and advice.

DANCE NYC
  • Publishes action-oriented research that guides strategic policy, fund development and improves management practice.
  • Host leadership training and networking opportunities.
  • Acts as a regrantor to support small dance makers, integrated dance productions with disabled artists.

Electronic Media and Film

Wave Farm
  • Programs include a radio, an artist residency program, study center, the Transmission Arts Archive, and property installations. 
  • Offer NYSCA regrants to support electronic media and film organizations, and individual artists across New York State.
  • Provide funds to hire outside consultants to support development, and support peer-to-peer mentoring and convening and conference attendance. 
NY Media Arts Map
  • A partnership of NYSCA and Wave Farm mapping media arts organizations statewide as a vital tool for identifying art and technology networks, services and opportunities 
  • Features a variety of resources including a funding calendar, consultant directory and convening archive.
The Alliance for Media Arts and Culture
  • Offer programs that include: Group conversations for professionals via video roundtables on solutions to challenges facing the electronic media field, innovative apps and tools for nonprofits.
  • Host virtual meetings, discussions, screenings or demos to help develop capacity for independent artists and nonprofit organizations around the world, as well as a consulting service for Executive Directors.
  • Provides online resources relating to storytelling and design, the creative economy and workforce development, media impact, data, measurement and evaluation, cultural strategies, digital technologies, youth media, and media policy.  
Film Festival Alliance

Member-based organization offers webinars, conferences, advertising opportunities and more to help strengthen the film festival industry, and advocate for a sustainable and inclusive environment for film festivals and the people who run them.

Facilities Projects

Preservation League of New York State

In partnership with NYSCA manages the Preserve New York and Technical Assistance Grant programs, provides technical services, makes loans, effects policy and offers awards in excellence, to champion the essential role of preservation in community revitalization, sustainable economic growth, and the protection of historic buildings and landscapes.

Catchafire

Matches skilled professionals with non-profit organizations to provide pro bono advice on a wide variety of projects.

Folk Arts

New York Folklore
  • In partnership with NYSCA,  Mentoring and Professional Development Program provides technical assistance opportunities for artist self-management, marketing and promotion, concert production, interpretation and presentation, graphic design, exhibition planning, documentation and archival practices.
  • Upstate Folklife Survey and Program Development initiative, a NYSCA partnership, documents regional traditions and develops programming in association with local arts organizations.
NYSCA Living Traditions/Gateway to New York State’s Folk Arts

Online portal to New York State folklife programs, with photographic and video documentation of folklife practiced throughout the state.  Community members and folklorists documenting their traditions are invited to share their work and introduce their organizations. A partnership of NYSCA with City Lore.

American Folklife Center, Library of Congress
American Folklore Society
  • Offers annual meeting with professional workshops.
  • Events calendar, advocacy toolkit and statement on ethics and principles of professional responsibility are available online

Literature

Asian American Writers Workshop
  • Devoted to the creating, publishing, developing, and disseminating of creative writing by Asian Americans.
  • Fellowship Programs, 60+ events a year presenting 200 writers, publication of online magazines, community and education programs.
Cave Canem

Offers workshop sessions, poetry readings, talks, and special events of high artistic quality addressing its mission of cultivating the artistic and professional growth of poets of African descent.

Community of Literary Magazines and Presses
  • A community of small publishers creating print and digital books, magazines, online publications, chapbooks and zines. 
  • Offers a publisher search engine, literary magazine courses, conferences, events, products and services for small press publishers.
LitTAP
  • In partnership with Just Buffalo Literary Center in Western New York, LitTap offers a list of resources for literary organizations, focusing on governance, fundraising, managerial advice, web technology, academic programs and more. 
  • Organizes an annual statewide literary convening, Facing Pages.
LitTree

A NYSCA partnership created with Bright Hill Press, website includes the literary map of New York State which presents in-depth information about NYS literary organizations, bookstores, libraries and literary sites, as well as writers and poets in NYS. 

Poets and Writers

Includes a directory of poets and writers with contact information, publication credits, and biographical information.  They offer searchable databases of writing contests, literary magazines, small presses, literary agents, MFA programs, writers retreats, grants and awards, and workshops and publish a national literary events calendar.

Poets House

The country's premier open-stack poetry collection, currently at 70,000 volumes, open to the public, free of charge. Poets House systematically collects all of the poetry published nationally, making its library a rare scholarly resource and an unparalleled document of the poetry output of our time. Poets House produces over 100 literary events per year, including readings, discussions, lectures, classes, and exhibitions.

The Authors Guild Foundation

Produces educational events geared toward underserved, early-career writers, providing unique opportunities to discuss the business side of writing with established authors and publishing industry professionals.

The Center for Fiction

The Center for Fiction is the only nonprofit literary organization in the U.S. solely dedicated to celebrating fiction. In February 2019, COF opened a new building in downtown Brooklyn, creating a home for NYC’s literary community.  COF offers readings, special literary events, writing workshops, book groups, young people’s programs, an independent bookstore, a café and a circulating library collection. 

Museum

Greater Hudson Heritage Network

In partnership with NYSCA offers Conservation Treatment Grants and Collections Needs Assessment Program. Runs workshops, webinars, and professional development opportunities to advance the work of museums and heritage organizations, with an emphasis on collections and interpretation.  

American Alliance of Museums

Offers advisory services, advocacy programs, annual meeting, research centers, and resources for defining the ethics, standards and best professional practices of the museum field.

Museum Association of New York

Statewide service organization offering an annual conference, Museum Institute, discussion forums, publications, workshops, a job board for museum positions.

Western New York Association of Historical Agencies

Encourages cooperation amongst museums and other related cultural organizations in Western New York, by providing workshops, awards and an annual meeting.

Long Island Museum Association

Offers programs, workshops and a professional development grant for museums on Long Island.

Music

American Federation of Musicians

Type of Resource: International Touring and Visas

Details:

  • What you need to know when traveling on airplanes with instruments; U.S. visas for musicians from other countries; and crossing the U.S. border with instruments containing ivory or other endangered species.
Association of Performing Arts Professionals

Type of Resource: Marketing, Audience Development and Community Engagement, Other Resources

Details: 

  • Publications on key practices for audience development and community engagement.
  • A wide range of free webinars on topics such as: visas, taxes, touring, building arts audiences, navigating the touring performing arts market, and security for outdoor performing arts events
Chamber Music America

Type of Resource: Marketing, Audience Development and Community Engagement, Organizational Development, Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility, Other Resources

Details:

  • Experience, Expertise and Advice programs in New York City cover topics including marketing, audience development, youth programming, arts organization management agencies, digital strategies, residencies and community engagement.  Sessions are live streamed, with some available as podcasts.
  • Website includes podcasts, videos, articles and research reports on audience engagement strategies.
The Future of Music Coalition

Type of Resource: Other Resources, Legal Resources

Details: 

  • Advocacy organization devoted to fair and transparent compensation for musicians.  Articles on website include copyright issues, royalties, and digital distribution for self-recorded artists.
Harvestworks

Type of Resource: Information Technology, Rehearsal and Performance Spaces, Other Resources

Details:

  • Serves artists in multiple disciplines employing new technologies of audio and video in its Manhattan space.  Fee based short-term audio studio rental.  Residency rentals of project and audio space available 24/7.
  • Fee based project management.
League of American Orchestras

Type of Resource: Governance, Marketing, Audience Development and Community Engagement, Organizational Development

Details: 

  • Regional forums in Upstate New York geared to small and mid-sized orchestras on topics that include governance, marketing, audience development and leadership.  Follow-up technical assistance is provided for participants.
  • The League's website provides training materials, information and templates through its Learning and Leadership Development program.  Topics include audience and community engagement, diversity, orchestra management, finance, fundraising, technology, mergers and creative alliances, visa, tax and travel information, and sexual harassment prevention.
Opera America

Type of Resource: Marketing, Audience Development and Community Engagement, Other Resources

Details:

  • Annual free convenings Upstate and in New York City to discuss regional trends in the opera field, regional challenges and opportunities, civic engagement, equity, diversity and inclusion.
  • Website includes resources on equity, diversity and inclusion, advocacy and approaches to civic engagement.

Presenting

New York State Presenters Network

Offer resources for opportunities and lists of presenting organizations for artists.

Association of Performing Arts Professionals

Hosts conferences, offers a network community and resources for professional development, conversation, advocacy and civic engagement for presenters of the performing arts. 

Special Arts Services

Support Center

A nonprofit capacity building organization that specializes in organizational development, consulting and executive transition.

The New York Council of Nonprofits
  • Advocacy and service organization that helps New York's nonprofits to build their capacity for growth and community impact.
  • Provide a wide array of specialized technical assistance services, including legal and financial, also provides an array of group purchasing, insurance, and employee benefits.
  • All NYSCA grantees have a basic membership to NYCON.

State & Local Partnerships

New York Council of Nonprofits

All NYSCA grantees can access professional development tools, including free professional development webinars and pro bono services. Opportunities include individualized assistance in finance, law, planning, communications and board relations and scholarships for the annual Camp Finance retreat.

New York Foundation for the Arts
  • Offers programs and funding for working artists and emerging arts organizations across all disciplines at critical states in their creative lives and professional/organizational development.
  • Partners with NYSCA for the NYSCA/NYFA Artist Fellowship awarding grants to artists living in New York State.
  • Additional resources include job, artist call and artist space listings.
The Field
  • Provides access to opportunities, resources, funding, advice and information to bring arts culture workers’ visions to life. 
  • Programs include professional development and creative workshops.
  • Serves artists who experience barriers to advancement based on race, cultural identity, disability status, sexual orientation, or other identities. 

Theatre

Alliance of Resident Theatres
  • Offers managerial support, and other progressive services such as shared office and rehearsal spaces, the nation’s only revolving loan fund for real estate, and technical assistance programs for emerging theatres.
  • Provide NYC nonprofit theaters funding opportunity information, training, space and networking.
  • NYSCA Regrant program: Creative Opportunity Fund to fund organizational growth or the development of new work for the professional theatre throughout NYS.
  • Conference; award grants and scholarships; and the Global Theater Initiative. 
Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation

Offers a professional development program for early-career directors and choreographers providing opportunities to observe master artists and cultivate their skills throughout an entire rehearsal process.

The Actors Fund of America

Services include financial assistance, career counseling, health insurance, housing, social services, and senior care for everyone in entertainment.

Theatre Development Fund
  • TDF reaches across New York City’s theatre and dance sectors to grow under-represented audiences in these fields.
  • TKTS booths (Times Square, Lincoln Center, South Street Seaport and downtown Brooklyn) provide residents and tourists with same-day theatre activities at up to a 50% discount from Broadway and Off-Broadway shows.
  • Membership program makes advance discounted tickets available to populations with limited budgets, such as teachers, students, and military members.
  • Theatre Accessibility Program (TAP) makes theatre accessible for individuals with physical and developmental disabilities.
Theater Communications Group

Offers members networking and knowledge-building opportunities through research, communications, and events including the annual TCG National Conference.  Publishes American Theatre Magazine.

Visual Arts

New York Foundation for the Arts
  • Offers programs and funding for working artists and emerging arts organizations across all disciplines at critical states in their creative lives and professional/organizational development.
  • Partners with NYSCA for the NYSCA/NYFA Artist Fellowship awarding grants to artists living in New York State.
  • Additional resources include job, artist call and artist space listings.
NYSCA Artist Residencies Listings

NYSCA's Individual Artist Resources page lists information about NYSCA-supported residencies, including disciplines supported, when and where residencies take place, and links for more information and application details

Common Field
  • National network of independent visual arts organizations and organizers that connects, supports, and advocates for the artist-centered field
  • Programs include national convenings, grants, research, resources, forums, meet-ups and advocacy