Mayor Zohran Mamdani joined forces with the New York City Department of Small Business Services (SBS) this week, announcing more than $8.4 million in grants toward nonprofit and small business initiatives, including public art commissions and arts programming.
The Mayor’s Office disbursed 89 grants across the city, with most funds destined for Brooklyn, according to an August 17 statement. Among the awardees are the Red Hook Art Project, the Project for Public Spaces, the Fourth Arts Block, and Art on the Ave, a spokesperson for the Mayor’s Office told Hyperallergic.
Organizations can use the grants to cover project expenses, marketing and programming materials, space rentals, and event costs.
For nonprofit arts organizations across the city, the news came as a major win.
“This is a pivotal moment for our city and for public art,” Jean Cooney, who heads the arts nonprofit Creative Time, told Hyperallergic.
