The New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) is an arts council serving the U.S. state of New York. It was established in 1960 through a bill introduced in the New York State Legislature by New York State Senator MacNeil Mitchell (1905-1996), with backing from Governor Nelson Rockefeller, and began its work in 1961. It awards over 2,700 grants each year to arts organizations in every arts discipline throughout the state. Its headquarters are in Manhattan, New York City.
As stated on its website, the council "is dedicated to preserving and expanding the rich and diverse cultural resources that are and will become the heritage of New York's citizens."