Senator Gillibrand Celebrates $1 Million For Arts Center Lake Placid

Federal Funding Will Expand the 50-Year-Old Campus into a State-of-the-Art Creative Hub and Early Childhood Education Complex Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, stood with officials to celebrate the $1 million she secured for the institution in the FY2026 Agriculture-Rural Development funding bill. The $1 million will be used to modernize and expand the center’s 50-year-old annex facility to create a new arts and early childhood education complex. “I am proud to have secured more than $250 million in funding for essential projects across New York State, including $1 million for Arts Center Lake Placid,” said Senator Gillibrand. “This funding will directly benefit North Country residents and the entire arts community who know the center to be at the forefront of arts programming and exhibitions. I look forward to seeing the center’s new expanded space and programming, and I will continue to work tirelessly to make sure families, workers, artists, and businesses in New York State have what they need to succeed.” “Senator Gillibrand continues to be a champion for the North Country and Arts Center Lake Placid (formally Lake Placid the Center for the Arts). In addition to the $1 million appropriation from 2025, Senator Gillibrand and her team helped to secure an additional $1 million for LPCA from the Northern Border Regional Commission. The $2 million in funds will be transformational to the region and our organization, allowing us to expand access to quality arts and early childhood education to local residents and protect the incredible cultural heritage of the North Country. Senator Gillibrand’s leadership continues to underscore the essential role that arts and culture play in strengthening communities—simultaneously creating lucrative economic advancements while fostering expression, learning, and support for artists and organizations alike,” said James Lemons, Executive Director of Arts Center Lake Place. Arts Center Lake Placid is a year-round community arts center that serves as a vibrant cultural hub for the Adirondack region, offering a diverse range of programming and educational opportunities. This funding will be used to renovate and build out the center’s facilities, bolstering its already robust live entertainment offerings that include theater productions, music concerts, dance performances, and film screenings. The renovation will also include a new education complex that will house early childhood education classrooms, arts education studios, and office workspace for additional nonprofits. ###