NACC awarded technical assistance grant from Preservation League of NYS

Grant will fund MEP analysis for arts center

Niagara Arts & Cultural Center Press Release

The Niagara Arts & Cultural Center is one of this year’s technical assistance grantees. A grant of $6,500 will fund a MEP (mechanical/electrical/plumbing) analysis for the NACC.

At a 2025 meeting, an independent panel selected 31 applicants in 20 counties to receive support totaling $347,500. Grants represent both of the Preservation League of NYS’ signature NYSCA regrants: Preserve New York (PNY) and technical assistance grants (TAG).

The Preservation League of NYS and their program partners at the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) are thrilled to help fund this important work.

NACC Executive Director Jennifer Pauly said, “Part of the Niagara Arts & Cultural Center mission is to preserve our historic, 100-year-old campus. This technical assistance grant allows us to take a full assessment of the central steam boiler that provides heat for the entire building. The NACC board of directors are grateful for this grant, as the timing couldn’t be better as we prepare for the next phase of our theater renovation project.”

Buffalo Engineering, P.C., will serve as the consultant to the NACC to deliver an MEP analysis of the existing steam boiler for the historic building, outlining the conditions and recommendations for improvements. The scope will include the mechanical and electrical engineering investigation with supporting documentation.

NACC occupies the former Niagara Falls High School, which, before being revitalized as this regional art center, was included on the Preservation League’s 2000 “Seven to Save” list of at-risk historic sites.

Preservation League of NYS President Jay DiLorenzo said, “This year, the League has brought our two longstanding NYSCA partnership grants together into one cycle, allowing us to see a clear picture of the remarkable preservation work getting started across the state. The targeted studies funded by TAG and the expansive reports made possible by PNY will lay the groundwork for many vital projects over the years to come.”

For details and photos of all the 2025 grantees, visit www.preservenys.org/blog/2025-regrants.

NYSCA Executive Director Erika Mallin said, “NYSCA is proud to support these diverse and essential projects that will allow organizations to plan for their future and safeguard New York’s rich cultural history for generations to come. Congratulations to all of this year’s grantees, and we look forward to the work you do across our state.”

The TAG program is a regrant partnership between NYSCA and the Preservation League, made possible with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature. It supports arts centers, historic sites, music halls, theaters, and other arts and cultural nonprofit or municipal entities that steward historic buildings throughout New York.

With the announcement of the 2025 awards, support provided by TAG since its launch in 2012 totals $819,320. These grants have directly advanced the efforts of 242 preservation projects.

The NACC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, community-focused cultural center that houses more than 100 artists – including painters, sculptors, ceramicists, educators, woodworkers, photographers, theater and dance companies – in studios and programmable spaces. The NACC supports artists with collaborative practices, professional careers, and those interested in contributing to WNY’s creative ecosystem across 180,000-square-feet inside a historic former school. The NACC is host to three theaters, two public and numerous private galleries, a radio station, public classroom space, and the Starry Night Café. Visit www.thenacc.org.