The Friends of the Visual & Performing Arts began with a community meeting of parents interested in expanding opportunities in the arts for their children living in a rural setting and art and music faculty from a local school. Together they formed an action plan and moved forward to create a unique, multi-generational experience that has proved invaluable in this small rural community and reaching out to surrounding villages and cities.

Comprised of a group of interested adults and youth representing a variety of art forms, the "Friends" group has provided a summer arts program since 1996 through the efforts of an all-volunteer workforce.

In addition to the summer programming, the group coordinated an Awesome Arts Week program, an arts-integrated curriculum program utilizing the talents of community residents together with classroom teachers, for two years in the Fonda-Fultonville Central School. Other programs have included a theater scenery field trip experience, long-term photography courses, guitar lessons, percussion workshop and a creative writing series.

No dollars are spent on administrative salaries as the group's officers, Board of Directors, and committees are all community volunteers. Funding for programs comes from a combination of grants, gifts, membership enrollment, and low program fees.

Board of Directors meetings in March and December are open to the public and all are encouraged to attend.

Board meetings are held on the 2nd Monday of each quarter, March, June, September and December. New Board members and officers are elected at the December meeting.