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Welcome to Participate Ulster, a platform to learn more about and share your input on County projects, initiatives, and issues that directly affect your community.

Shaping Our Future Together

Plus One Home Program

The Ulster County Arts &amp; Culture Plan marks a groundbreaking moment. This first-ever comprehensive plan will serve as a blueprint for defining, assessing, prioritizing, and charting a course for a flourishing arts and culture landscape in Ulster County.<hr>This process, from 2024 into 2025, seeks to accomplish:<ul><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr">Inventory Creative Resources: Develop an inventory of the creative resources now available across the County, including facility capacities and amenities, to highlight trends in the existing arts ecosystem that may be leveraged to support growth and sustainability.</li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr">Quantify Economic Impact: Conduct a comprehensive Fiscal and Economic Impact Analysis to measure the arts sector&#39;s contribution to Ulster County&#39;s overall prosperity. This analysis will consider the economic benefits for our residents, businesses, and neighborhoods as well as the cultural economy&rsquo;s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.</li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr">Identify Strategies to Empower a Thriving Ecosystem: Define Ulster County&#39;s leading role in cultivating and sustaining a vibrant local arts scene to enable its celebration and promotion of the voices of our residents, including enhanced communication between arts organizations and the communities they serve.</li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr">Guide Investment in the Future: Develop a suite of possible policies and services that align with identified community needs to direct resources toward the greatest impacts. These will address programming opportunities and access for residents and visitors and include services for the creative community and its economy, as well as funding sources for cultural initiatives such as public art, performance and education programming, and capital improvements to arts and cultural facilities.</li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr">Foreground Social Equity: Plan with intention to strengthen, leverage, and integrate resources to advance economic prosperity and ensure equitable access and benefits for ALL Ulster County residents, resulting in a truly inclusive cultural landscape that allows the whole community to participate in and enjoy Ulster County&rsquo;s cultural offerings.</li></ul><a class="fr-strong" href="https://mailchi.mp/71c57a5f45b4/ulster-county-arts-culture-plan" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">SIGN UP</a> today to be part of this process! Outreach will include town hall meetings, creative sector workshops, surveys, and community conversations.The County seeks input from as many community members as possible on how arts and culture can create a more equitable, thriving, and prosperous County. The final plan will reflect input from all ages and backgrounds, providing well-defined goals and strategies that align with broader community needs, including economic prosperity, social equity, environmental protection, and cultural vitality.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/ehq-production-us-california/74b17c89f5fe7e0ce6e4d3b3bcf7834f0eec6837/original/1717594545/f41810275bd5b6e45193a5597e4d82e7_Copy_of_Dorsky_Museum_opening-reception-for-spring-2020-exhibitions.jpg?1717594545">&quot;Totally Dedicated: Leonard Contino 1940-2016&quot; exhibition installation image, The Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art at SUNY New Paltz. A 27-member Project Advisory Committee (PAC), featuring top arts leaders in Ulster County, will guide the plan. This committee represents a diverse range of geographies, artistic disciplines, genders, and races. Their expertise will help create a comprehensive and inclusive arts plan that is both aspirational and practical.To spearhead this initiative, the County has engaged Lord Cultural Resources, a leading global arts and culture planning practice with a proven track record spanning over 40 years that helps arts and cultural destinations achieve their full potential. Work began in April 2024, with the goal of presenting the full plan to the Ulster County Legislature in March 2025. The project is managed by an Ulster County team including Peter Criswell, Chair of the Ulster County Legislature; Joshua Stratton-Rayner, Deputy Director of Economic Development; and Sara Pasti, Arts and Development Consultant and City of Kingston Ward 1 Alderwoman.The Arts &amp; Culture Master Plan will develop an inventory of creative resources across the County and gather and analyze data on the economic impact of the arts and creative industries. The plan will outline goals and strategies to address programming opportunities, access for residents and visitors, services for the creative community, cultural economic development, and facilities development and will explore funding for public art, performance and education programming, and capital improvements. <a class="fr-strong" href="https://mailchi.mp/71c57a5f45b4/ulster-county-arts-culture-plan" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">SIGN UP</a><div class="fr-img-space-wrap"><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/ehq-production-us-california/87d609b584872e82c2c297b1c08a2812972a2d3f/original/1717594686/6d5f1ad3112a74e5e94f42705849f6c0_Copy_of_Cinderella_at_UPAC_2023__%2844_of_74%29.JPG?1717594686">&quot;Cinderella&quot; by the State Ballet Theatre of Ukraine at the Ulster Performing Arts Center, 2023. Photo by James Rice. PROJECT ADVISORY COMMITTEE</div><table class="noBorder" style="width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td style="width: 23.9378%;">Bryant (&ldquo;Drew&rdquo;) Andrews</td><td style="width: 3.4285%;"> </td><td style="width: 72.5715%;">Executive Director, Center for Creative Education</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 23.9378%;">Lisa Berger</td><td style="width: 3.4285%;"> </td><td style="width: 72.5715%;">Director, Ulster County Department of Tourism</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 23.9378%;">Danielle Bliss</td><td style="width: 3.4285%;"> </td><td style="width: 72.5715%;">Producer, Hudson Valley Hullabaloo and Owner, Wishbone Letterpress</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 23.9378%;">Taylor Bruck</td><td style="width: 3.4285%;"> </td><td style="width: 72.5715%;">Deputy Clerk &amp; County Historian, Ulster County</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 23.9378%;">Dave Channon</td><td style="width: 3.4285%;"> </td><td style="width: 72.5715%;">Artist and Shandaken Artist Tour Promoter</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 23.9378%;">Beth Davenport</td><td style="width: 3.4285%;"> </td><td style="width: 72.5715%;">Co-Founder, Stockade Works and Upriver Studios</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 23.9378%;">Melissa Dvozenja-Thomas</td><td style="width: 3.4285%;"> </td><td style="width: 72.5715%;">Executive Director, Arts Mid-Hudson</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 23.9378%;">Marielena Ferrer-Harrington</td><td style="width: 3.4285%;"> </td><td style="width: 72.5715%;">Chair, Kingston Arts Commission and Executive Director, Unison Arts</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 23.9378%;">Lara Giordano</td><td style="width: 3.4285%;"> </td><td style="width: 72.5715%;">Founder and Director, Department of Regional Art Workers (D.R.A.W)</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 23.9378%;">Nicole Goldberg</td><td style="width: 3.4285%;"> </td><td style="width: 72.5715%;">Executive Director, Woodstock Artists Association and Museum</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 23.9378%;">Stephan Hengst</td><td style="width: 3.4285%;"> </td><td style="width: 72.5715%;">Executive Director, Big Gay Hudson Valley</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 23.9378%;">Margaret S. Inge</td><td style="width: 3.4285%;"> </td><td style="width: 72.5715%;">Board President, Kingston Midtown Arts District</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 23.9378%;">Andrew Jacobs</td><td style="width: 3.4285%;"> </td><td style="width: 72.5715%;">Board President, Catskills Borscht Belt Museum</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 23.9378%;">Nadine Lemmon</td><td style="width: 3.4285%;"> </td><td style="width: 72.5715%;">Board Treasurer, Center for Photography at Woodstock</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 23.9378%;">Jadin Manipole</td><td style="width: 3.4285%;"> </td><td style="width: 72.5715%;">Marketing Director, Bardavon Presents / Ulster Performing Arts Center</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 23.9378%;">Melanie Martin</td><td style="width: 3.4285%;"> </td><td style="width: 72.5715%;">Director of Sales &amp; Communications, New York Foundation for the Arts</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 23.9378%;">James McIntyre</td><td style="width: 3.4285%;"> </td><td style="width: 72.5715%;">Board President, Shadowland Stages</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 23.9378%;">Kate Mitchell</td><td style="width: 3.4285%;"> </td><td style="width: 72.5715%;">Executive Director, Opus 40</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 23.9378%;">Kitt Potter</td><td style="width: 3.4285%;"> </td><td style="width: 72.5715%;">Director of Arts &amp; Cultural Affairs, City of Kingston</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 23.9378%;">Robert Sabuda</td><td style="width: 3.4285%;"> </td><td style="width: 72.5715%;">Founder, 10 Horse Art Center and Pop-Up Book Artist</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 23.9378%;">Nina Schmidbaur</td><td style="width: 3.4285%;"> </td><td style="width: 72.5715%;">Chair, Saugerties Arts Commission</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 23.9378%;">Jason Silverman</td><td style="width: 3.4285%;"> </td><td style="width: 72.5715%;">Co-Executive Director, Upstate Films</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 23.9378%;">Isabel Soffer</td><td style="width: 3.4285%;"> </td><td style="width: 72.5715%;">Co-Founder, The Local, Saugerties</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 23.9378%;">Megan Sperry</td><td style="width: 3.4285%;"> </td><td style="width: 72.5715%;">Member, Ulster County Legislature and Media Arts Professor, SUNY New Paltz</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 23.9378%;">Kathleen (kt) Tobin</td><td style="width: 3.4285%;"> </td><td style="width: 72.5715%;">Director, SUNY New Paltz Benjamin Center</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 23.9378%;">Helen Toomer</td><td style="width: 3.4285%;"> </td><td style="width: 72.5715%;">Founder, Stoneleaf Retreat Residency and Upstate Arts Weekend</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 23.9378%;">Carrie Wykoff</td><td style="width: 3.4285%;"> </td><td style="width: 72.5715%;">Member, Rosendale Town Board and Co-Chair, Rosendale Street Festival</td></tr></tbody></table>

Arts & Culture Plan

Ulster County is committed to tackling the climate crisis by shifting to a clean energy economy and bolstering our resilience to the impacts of climate change that are already occurring. As part of this work, the Ulster County Department of the Environment has launched an initiative to develop a countywide Community Climate Action Plan, and its success depends upon input from you! View recently issued press release for the project <a href="https://ulstercountyny.gov/sites/default/files/documents/environment/RELEASE_%20Ulster%20County%20Department%20of%20the%20Environment%20Launches%20Community%20Climate%20Action%20Plan.pdf" target="_self">here</a>.What is a Community Climate Action Plan?A Community Climate Action Plan (CCAP) is a strategic plan that identifies actions the County government can take to support reductions in <a href="https://ulstercountyny.gov/sites/default/files/documents/environment/Ulster%20County%20Community-Wide%20Greenhouse%20Gas%20Emissions%20%20Final%2024.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">climate-damaging emissions</a> from sources throughout our communities, including from buildings, transportation, and waste disposal, among other sources. Most of these emissions come from the burning of fossil fuels for heating and hot water, powering vehicles, and generating electricity, with a smaller percentage of emissions coming from such sources as the breakdown of food waste in landfills and leaks in pipelines and appliances. The Plan will prioritize actions by the County government to help reduce emissions from all these sources and to support residents, businesses, municipalities, and other stakeholders in making the switch to clean, energy-efficient alternatives. The benefits of climate actions must be equitable, and the County is committed to a broad and inclusive public engagement process to ensure that all voices are heard.Why is the Community Climate Action Plan Important?We have no time to lose in adopting climate solutions that will put our communities on a more sustainable path and protect our children&rsquo;s future. The science is clear: Human-induced climate change is already causing dangerous and widespread disruption in nature, and if we do not make steep cuts in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the coming decades, global mean temperatures are predicted to rise to a level that greatly increases the risk of harm to the planet and to us.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/ehq-production-us-california/934bbaa7dd0eac58bedc1d0a0d232a10598eeb1c/original/1719416456/c9574d0dd59a2f7d90b8b02fdf374e92_Copy_of_Participate_Ulster_-_Images_for_Projects_TEMPLATE_%281%29.png?1719416456" style="width: 694px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">The good news is that solutions exist, and the even better news is that adopting them will have multiple benefits for our communities beyond reducing our impact on climate. Reducing reliance on fossil fuels improves air quality and public health, creates local jobs, and provides our communities with greater energy security. A <a href="https://climate.ny.gov/Climate-Resources" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">state analysis</a> of the employment impacts of meeting the state&#39;s climate goals estimates that tens of thousands of new jobs will be added in the Hudson Valley in clean energy industries and related sectors.. Currently, well over half of what we spend on energy leaves the state, primarily for fossil fuels. Generating more renewable energy in New York and locally, and using less of it by making our buildings and transportation more efficient, keeps more money in our pockets and keeps more spending in the local economy. Reducing reliance on fossil fuels also better insulates us from dependence on volatile international oil markets.What are the goals of the Community Climate Action Plan?In Executive Order 1 of 2023, County Executive Metzger set a goal of reducing community-wide GHG emissions by 40% by 2030 and 85% by 2050, aligning County climate targets with the state&#39;s climate law, known as the <a href="https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2019/S6599" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act</a>. In 2022, the Ulster County Department of Environment completed a Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory that identifies the sources and quantity of emissions for the entire county, and this information will be used to inform measurable reduction strategies in the CCAP to help meet County targets.Next StepsThe plan will guide the County government decision-making about where to invest resources in new initiatives and in expanding existing programs. Upcoming forums this summer will facilitate community input and guide the prioritization of impactful programs and investments.It is an exciting time to set forth a vision for community-wide climate action in Ulster County!<div class="fr-img-space-wrap"><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/ehq-production-us-california/1c899a80264f33e440beadfce54bbee1054e1323/original/1718205993/ff851b9ec54dfab3db79c81ef47e25ca_Image_%281%29.jpeg?1718205993">CCAP Focus Group in Ellenville, NYCheck back at this site to stay informed about upcoming events and other ways to participate in the Community Climate Action Plan.</div>This project has been funded in part by the Climate Smart Communities Grant Program, Title 15 of the Environmental Protection Fund through the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

Community Climate Action Plan

Breathing new life into the Trudy Resnick Farber building in Ellenville.

Reimagining the Trudy Resnick Farber Building

Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger headshot

The best ideas come from the people we serve. I encourage you to reach out to my office with your concerns.

RSVP for the In-Person Ag Plan December 5th Public Meeting