This and That by JL

It seems that ever since the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) was created, it has been under siege. Although it is a tiny agency, less than 0.006% of the $3.54 Trillion federal budget, it has had enormous impact on the quality, abundance and diversity of the arts in America through its 140,000 grants, totaling […]

In the wake of the Orlando tragedy, I ask myself again a question that I ask myself frequently: “What is there about art that makes us turn to it in times of tragedy?” Governor Cuomo turned to the arts this week when he announced a million dollar art project to honor “all victims of hate, […]

                  It snowed all the way up to Albany. It poured on the way back home. We went there in spite of the weather, as we had many times in the past.  We went to talk about the arts, it’s importance to our Empire State and the […]

This week, the Westchester County Board of Legislators took a series of non-partisan actions to keep Westchester thriving, by recognizing the importance of the work of the not for profit sector.  Democrats and Republicans worked together to restore vital funding for many organizations which support the safety net and quality of life in this county. […]

Some thirty-five years ago, during New York City’s fiscal crisis, a proposal was made to cut the arts. To save them, the chairman of the city’s arts commission likened this foolish notion to the goose that laid the golden eggs. You remember that story: The goose was shot. Disaster. No more golden eggs. Last week, […]

Image: “Peace for Paris” by Jean Jullien It is no coincidence that, in the aftermath of last week’s terrorist attack on Paris, the response heard round the world was one of an original work of art – an image of peaceful protest and compelling unity in the face of tragedy. It was an artist’s original […]

Good news was in the air…at least in Westchester. A 3% increase for the arts in the Westchester County budget passed with no tax increase thanks to the county executive and your county legislators. Here at ArtsWestchester, we also breathed a sigh of relief as Congress included in its recent actions level funding of the […]

At 8 a.m. on a very snowy morning, fifty business leaders gathered at the Ritz Carlton Hotel to hear Robert Lynch, President and CEO of Americans for the Arts talk about the value of partnering with the arts. The morning was dedicated to helping ArtsWestchester (ArtsW) develop 50 new business partnerships for it’s 50th anniversary year […]