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New York Governor Kathy Hochul has released her 2026 State of the State report, which includes a plan to preserve performing art spaces in New York.
To help secure the long-term future of smaller performance spaces across the state, Governor Hochul is launching a new program called Saving Performing Arts and Cultural Experiences (NY SPACE).
“Many nonprofit arts organizations rely on rented venues, which limits their ability to plan long-term projects and makes them vulnerable to shifts in real estate markets or increases in rental prices,” the report notes. “Nearly 50 arts venues have shuttered in NYC alone since 2020, and the 2010s saw dozens more theaters, music halls, and other live performance spaces close permanently. These closures rob New York of the economic activity and cultural vibrancy that live performances promote.”
NY SPACE will provide funding to help nonprofit performing arts organizations acquire venues like theatres, concert halls, and other live performance spaces.
NY SPACE will serve established nonprofit performing-arts-presenting organizations at risk of losing their venues, by helping them purchase spaces they currently rent or other permanent facilities. This will allow grantees to move to more sustainable operating models and continue to deliver essential arts and cultural programming for generations to come.
Governor Hochul delivered her 2025 State of the State Address on January 14 in Albany, which included more than 200 initiatives that will put money back in people’s pockets, keep New Yorkers safe, and ensure the future of New York is a place where all families can thrive. Learn more and read the full State of the State here.
