About Us

Our Mission

The Huntington Arts Council enriches the quality of life of Long Islanders with programs and services that address the needs and interests of artists, cultural organizations and the community.

The Huntington Arts Council,  a 501(c)(3) not for profit organization, promotes arts and culture generated by Long Island artists to our children and to the general population.  We work to enrich the cultural, social and economic life of the community by nurturing the professional development of artists, and by providing timely news and events via Arts Cultural Magazine (reaching 20,000 per issue).  Our Arts-in-Education program reaches 35,000 children annually through our partner school districts.  We also offer artistic programs and services to our more than 100 cultural organization members who encompass the broad spectrum of arts disciplines.

The arts are an important reason why Long Island is increasingly recognized as a great place to live, work and conduct business.  The arts generate jobs and wages, millions in annual direct spending, and millions more in terms of indirect spending by people drawn to attend cultural events in our community.

The Huntington Arts Council plays a leading role in sustaining the economic benefits of the arts through its promotion of activities and events in our community.   The arts create a vibrant, energized, and culturally rich community.

Since it was founded in 1963, the Huntington Arts Council has inspired and aided the growth of hundreds of art organizations and individual artists now flourishing across Long Island.  The Huntington Arts Council celebrates the diversity of Long Island’s cultural resources through sponsored activities, programs and publications that advocate cultural awareness and education.

The Huntington Arts Council is the official arts coordinating agency of the Town of Huntington and serves as the primary regranting agency in Suffolk County for the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA).

History

The Huntington Arts Council celebrated an impressive milestone as we reached our 60th year in 2023!   July 1963 was the “official” start of the Huntington Arts Council with a formal vote by the Huntington Town Board to accept the Huntington Citizens Advisory Committee on the Arts recommendation.  The Committee on the Arts met for the first time on January 8, 1962 and was charged by Town Supervisor Robert Flynn to “consider the problems of maintaining an adequate cultural life in the expanding community complex of Huntington.”  In its first year the Town of Huntington offered office space, phone and support from the Recreation Department staff for the Huntington Arts Council and a first annual budget was expected to be about $500-700, and was raised by the Huntington community as reported in the Long Islander Newspaper. 

Huntington indeed experienced great change and growth in the intervening years.  Before any board members were appointed, the Committee on the Arts conducted a survey, held regular meetings with members of the arts community and invited August Heckscher II to serve as Honorary Chairman.  At that time, Heckscher served as President Kennedy’s special consultant on the arts.   This cabinet position was a precursor to the National Endowment for the Arts and the Huntington Arts Council was the first of its kind on Long Island.

L-R – Artist Ebony Thompson, Artist, Director, Producer Danangelowe “ARTBOii” Spencer, Chapin Legacy Award Recipient, Maurice Brandon Curry, Executive Artistic Director of Eglevsky Ballet, Chapin Cultural Connector Award Recipient, Stephanie Gotard, Executive Director, Huntington Historical Society, Chapin Arts & Humanitarian Award Recipient, Kevin McEvoy, Artists & Arts Ambassador

Huntington-Arts-Council-by-RK-crop-stroke

SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY

Long Island’s arts community has a $330 million annual impact on the local economy, as noted in a study by Long Island Arts Alliance.  Programs of the Huntington Arts Council– including special events and expanding collaborations and partnerships–directly translate into greater economic vitality and broader visibility for the town of Huntington.  The reach of the Huntington Arts Council into Suffolk County also brings a direct return to the Huntington economy from tourists and day visitors.

The Huntington Arts Council continues to provide venues for the arts in our community with the Main Street Gallery in Huntington.  These venues and opportunities have brought an outstanding response, quantified by a significant increase in visitors  to view art works by local artists, an increase in Arts Council Membership, and a greater presence throughout Long Island.

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