• Albany Chefs’ Food and Wine Festival Distributed Nearly $90,000 to Local Arts Organizations

    2025 Beneficiary Applications are open, inviting local arts nonprofits to apply

    https://medium.com/relentlessawareness/albany-chefs-food-and-wine-festival-distributed-nearly-90-000-to-local-arts-organizations-64eea54c63b1

    ALBANY, N.Y. (July 24, 2024) — The Albany Wine and Dine board of directors has distributed nearly $90,000 among its premier and spotlight beneficiaries from the 2024 Albany Chefs’ Food and Wine Festival. Premier and Spotlight Beneficiaries include The Black Theatre Troupe, Capitaland Chorus, Capital Repertory Theatre, the Palace Performing Arts Center, Albany Barn, and New York Folklore.

    The three-day festival which celebrates food, wine, and art within the City of Albany, supports local not-for-profit arts organizations. It showcases the region’s premier restaurants, chefs, and their innovative cuisine, with all net proceeds from the festival weekend directly benefiting these organizations to support the Albany arts community.

    “We are thrilled to extend this opportunity to our arts community,” said Marcus Q. Pryor, board president of Albany Chefs’ Food and Wine Festival. “The festival allows participants to enjoy incredible food and drinks while supporting a great cause. Together, we can create a lasting impact and bolster the vibrant arts scene in Albany.”

    Applications for the 2025 festival beneficiaries are now open, and organizations can submit their applications at albanywinefest.com. To qualify for funding, applicants must be a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit that is arts-oriented and based or has had performances in, the City of Albany. The board of directors will select a total of seven beneficiaries across two award levels: four Premier Beneficiaries and three Spotlight Beneficiaries. All beneficiaries will be notified of their selection in Oct. 2024.

    Since its inception, the Albany Chefs’ Food and Wine Festival (ACFWF) has provided nearly $1.5 million in funding, supporting 16 not-for-profit arts organizations in Albany. The ACFWF board of directors prioritizes applications from organizations that are women-led, BIPOC-led, with a DEI footprint and/or have an operating budget under $250,000. All arts nonprofits are encouraged and welcome to apply.

    The 2025 Albany Chefs’ Food and Wine Festival will take place from Thursday, Jan. 23 through Saturday, Jan. 25. For full details on the beneficiary selection process and more information about the three-day festival, visit albanywinefest.com.

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    About Albany Wine and Dine for the Arts: Their mission is to provide sustainable funding for the support and preservation of the not-for-profit arts community in Albany, New York, through an annual three-day food and wine-themed festival that markets restaurants, chefs and their innovative cuisine, educates consumers on healthy, sustainable agriculture, and donates the net income directly to deserving nonprofit arts organizations. albanywinefest.com