About Janet

Janet Langsam

Janet Langsam

Janet Langsam is the CEO of ArtsWestchester, an organization that financially and promotionally supports all of the arts in Westchester County. During her 23 year tenure, Ms. Langsam has helped grow ArtsWestchester, formerly known as the Westchester Arts Council, from a $1 million to a $6 million agency and has made the arts more visible, diverse, and accessible for all. As CEO, Ms. Langsam advocates for funding, supports local artists and cultural organizations, champions the county’s arts community and reports on the positive impact the arts has on the local and regional economies.

Among her many achievements, Ms. Langsam spearheaded the purchase and renovation of an abandoned nine-story historical bank building in the heart of downtown White Plains, NY, and also led a major rebranding of the organization, adding more contemporary marketing appeal. She has been named amongst 914INC’s Most Influential Women of Westchester in 2012.

Prior to her work at ArtsWestchester, Ms. Langsam served as President and CEO of the Boston Center for the Arts and as First Deputy Commissioner of the NYC Dept. of Cultural Affairs, Ms. Langsam also served as Assistant Commissioner of the NYC Dept. of Housing Preservation and Development in which she pioneered the conversion of city-owned vacant properties to cultural sites and artist housing. She is a founder of the Queens Museum, honoree of the Queens Theatre in the Park and a recipient of the Americans for the Arts Michael Newton Award. Ms. Langsam also has been recognized by the Mental Health Association of Westchester, Westchester County Federation of Women’s Clubs, the Westchester Jewish Council, the Hudson River Museum, the Emelin Theatre and the Association of Development Officers. Ms. Langsam received her Master’s in Public Administration from New York University.