Smithtown arts center gets $50G for fixes

A $50,000 grant for equipment purchases and lobby renovations at the Smithtown Center for the Performing Arts was approved Thursday.

The board of directors of Empire State Development Corp. unanimously OKd the money for the Smithtown Performing Arts Council, which runs the center. The grant was secured by State Sen. John Flanagan (R-East Northport).

Officials said the money would be used to buy speakers for a sound system, upgrade the ticketing system and lighting, and for lobby improvements. The center is in a 75-year-old movie theater that was refurbished in 2002 for live performances. The latest improvements will be completed by August.

Flanagan said, “The Smithtown Performing Arts Council plays a vibrant role in the local economy and provides a good cross-section of economic development and an appreciation for the arts.”