Clayton Opera House gets state cash to help recovery from COVID shutdown

CLAYTON, New York (WWNY) - Like all entertainment venues in New York, Clayton’s Opera House was forced to shut its doors for more than a year during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, it will receive nearly $60-thousand to help in its recovery.

The opera house is getting $59,500 from the New York State Council on the Arts’ Recovery Fund. The money will be used to pay staff and artists in 2022.

“We look forward to having a full schedule of entertainment for everyone in 2022 and these funds will help us to recover from the lost income from the past months of shutdown and limited audience. We cannot thank our supporters enough for helping us through this challenging time,” said opera house board president Tim LaLonde.

The opera house re-opened to limited audiences in the summer of 2021. This year, it’s planning music and comedy events, along with movie screenings.

NYSCA has awarded more than $80 million dollars to the arts since June of last year.