About CAP
For over 32 years, our Grants, Programs, and Services have been a driving force behind the vibrant arts community of Ithaca and Tompkins County.
Images from top left clockwise: Leanora Mims (in red) at her fiber art exhibit in our CAP Artspace; Art Trail artist Barbara Mink's downtown Ithaca studio; Dance project by Kathy Lucas; Painting by Huga Medina from 2022 CAP ArtSpace Exhibit; Art Trail artist Linna Dolph and her stained glass work; grantees Greater Ithaca Activities Center's GIAC Jumpers; Admiring art in State of the Art Gallery; Grantee Civic Ensemble still from community based play; clip art; grantee Elisa Keeler and her virtual chorus
Enjoy our 2024 Report to the Community
A year of bold art, shared voices, and lasting impact
Celebrating creativity, inclusion, and collaboration in Tompkins County.
PDF HERE
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for our monthly ArtsLetters and Event e-mails. Join HERE~
Our Vision
A world where the arts and artists thrive.
Our Mission
To strengthen the arts in Tompkins County by supporting artists and arts groups, ensuring equitable access to the arts, and cultivating a creative culture that reflects our community’s diversity.
Our Programs and Grants
Connecting Artists and Audiences
The Ithaca Artist Market, the May Spring Writes Literary Festival, the CAP ArtSpace Gallery, the Greater Ithaca Art Trail and CAP-a-Palooza Art Sale are all CAP programs.
Funding the Arts in Tompkins County
We have five grant programs, and have distributed over 7.3 million since 1993 to artists, arts organizations, and not for profits for public programming, artist career opportunities, and school residencies.
Helping Artists Make a Life in Tompkins County
There are over 1,000 artists each year that benefit from CAP and that number continues to grow. CAP is proud to assist local artists in producing the creative work that so enriches our community.
CAP By The Numbers
* To date, CAP has helped to distribute more than $7.3 million in grants and fellowships into the hands of local artists, arts organizations, and not-for-profits doing arts programming.
* Grants go to Arts Organizations, Not-For-Profits doings programming, individual artists, and artist residencies.
* 15% to visual artists and galleries, 70% performing artists and organizations doing performing arts programming, and 15% writers and writing organizations.
* Since 1999, 40,000 visitors have enjoyed the Greater Ithaca Art Trail. 750 artists have earned $875,000.
* Since 1996, 52,000 visitors have attended the Ithaca Artists Markets. And 1,800 artists have earned over $1,000,000.
* Since 2010, 1020 authors and playwrights have presented their work to 9,800 regional and worldwide visitors at the Spring Writes Literary Festival.
Major support for CAP comes from the New York State Council on the Arts, a State Agency, and the Tompkins County Tourism Program