NORWICH – The Chenango County Council of the Arts held its annual decentralization grants ceremony Wednesday night, awarding funds to non-profit arts and culture organizations in Chenango Broome and Otsego Counties and paying special recognition to the Christian Neighborhood Center with the Russell J. Perlman Award of Excellence for its proposed 2012 project concept.

The funding and honors awarded to each organization were reviewed by a nine-member pannel for the Council of the Arts Decentralization (DEC) Grant Program, which promotes an increase of community arts and cultural programs in Broome, Chenango and Otsego Counties. Eligibility of funding for each applicant is determined by guidelines established by the New York State Council on the Arts.

After reviewing grant applications from 68 non-profit arts organizations from across the three serviced counties, the council allocated $80,481 in cultural funding to 56 organizations through the DEC program, with an additional $10,000 given to the Broome County DEC from the Stewart W. and Wilma C. Hoyt Foundation for a funding total of $90,481.

“By the work you do, you are paving the way for people to realize how bright and vibrant our civilization can be,” Chenango Council of the Arts Director Victoria Kappel told attending arts advocates.