ArtsWestchester, the county arts council that funds programs at Bronxville's Concordia Conservatory and Actors Conservatory Theatre, will receive $5 million from New York State to overhaul its landmarked White Plains headquarters and expand cultural programming across Westchester County.
The allocation, included in the state's 2027 budget, is the largest single state investment since ArtsWestchester's founding in 1965. Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Assemblymember J. Gary Pretlow, chair of the Assembly Ways and Means Committee, led the full Westchester delegation in securing the funds.
About 100 people gathered at ArtsWestchester's gallery at 31 Mamaroneck Ave. on Thursday, July 23, for the formal announcement. White Plains Mayor Justin C. Brasch, Westchester County Association President Michael Romita, and Business Council of Westchester Executive Vice President Noam Bramson were among those in attendance.
"We've got to bring it up and get it ready for the next century of service, but also to make sure that it's truly accessible to the community and that we'll have expanded spaces to provide really enriching programs for all of our communities here," CEO Kathleen Reckling told News 12 Westchester at the event.
The planned improvements include accessibility upgrades, renovations to public spaces, and infrastructure work that Reckling said will let ArtsWestchester expand its educational and cultural offerings. No construction timeline has been announced.
The nine-story neoclassical building was constructed in 1929 as the Peoples National Bank & Trust Co. building. ArtsWestchester purchased it in 1998 for $1.35 million, saving it from demolition. It is listed on both the National and State Registers of Historic Places. The former bank floor now serves as a 4,800-square-foot exhibition space, and the upper floors house nearly 30 creative businesses, artist studios, and rehearsal rooms.
Local connection
ArtsWestchester directly funds arts organizations in Bronxville, Scarsdale, and Eastchester. In the 2025-26 grant cycle, Scarsdale's Hoff-Barthelson Music School received $31,000, Hudson Ballet Theatre received $3,000, and Bronxville's Actors Conservatory Theatre received $2,500. For 2026-27, Bronxville's Concordia Conservatory received a $4,000 Arts Access grant.
Stewart-Cousins said she worked with Gov. Kathy Hochul and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie to secure the funding, calling it a recognition that "the arts are essential to creating vibrant, connected, and thriving communities." Pretlow said the investment goes beyond the building itself, calling it "an investment in education, economic development, tourism, and the creative spirit that makes Westchester such a vibrant place to live."
The announcement comes as downtown White Plains continues to add new residential development, positioning ArtsWestchester to serve a growing population.
ArtsWestchester's current exhibition, "Art in a Season of Revolution," runs through Sunday, Aug. 2. Gallery admission is free, with a suggested $5 donation. Hours are Wednesday through Friday, noon to 5 p.m.; Saturday, noon to 6 p.m.; and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m.
