“Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.”
—Thomas Merton

Well, you already know that, dear friend of the arts. When you fall in love with art, you fall in love for a lifetime. Do you remember that special moment?

Maybe it was the first time you saw the majestic textures in an Ansel Adams print or felt the kaleidoscopic spangles of a Bach toccata wash over you. You may have found yourself rapt by the graceful strength of Alvin Ailey’s dancers or standing in wide-eyed wonder, close enough to reach out and adjust the fallen shoulder strap on Sargent’s “Madame X.”

Perhaps you are the artist and you felt that spark the first time you saw form and composition in the clouds or heard melody in the wind, and you knew from that singular moment a life in art was your destiny. Or you are a humble follower, simply content to live in a world where artists have and always will share their priceless gifts?

The Board of the Long Island Arts Council at Freeport shares your passion! For the past 35 years the mission of our private, nonprofit organization has been to offer the entire community the vast spectrum of artistic expression—music and drama, dance and painting, photography, sculpture and poetry—at its most traditional and at its most fresh and inventive. You’ve been part of that mission and we on the board thank you for the generosity and support you’ve shown.

Throughout the year, LIACF brings free concerts to Freeport. Each spring dozens of local photographers enter their compositions in a Juried Photography Show, now celebrating its 30th year. An International Musical Composition Contest features the winner’s composition performed by the Long Island Composers’ Alliance in a special concert in March of 2010.

In collaboration with the National Endowment for the Arts, we brought The Big Read—a program that inspires people across the country to pick up a good book—to Long Island. The Art Alcove at the Freeport Recreation Center displays the creations of local painters, photographers, sculptors, and mixed-media artists.

We are constantly seeking ways to bring artistic expression to our daily lives. Requests from enthusiastic painters have led us to introduce our new Painting Studio Classes. The Long Island Arts Council is partnering with the Village of Freeport in its wide-ranging community development and revitalization plans with the Streetscape Banner Program and distinctive signage for the upcoming Freeport Walking Trail.

Some of our most important work revolves around nurturing the budding talents of young people. The High 5 program enables students to purchase reduced-rate tickets to performances and museums so they can explore the vast world of self-expression.

The summer of 2009 saw our first Showcase Youth Concert, offering musicians too young to perform in clubs a venue to share their talent—their passion—and they came to the Nautical Mile from as far away as New Jersey to have their voices heard.

In the summer of 2010, we hope to reintroduce a Musical Theatre Workshop for young adults, which has enjoyed great success in the past, and offered a dynamic and energetic way for teens to display their gifts.

But let’s face it: Art isn’t cheap. Through most of history, it’s been the privilege of the wealthy and powerful. Kings and popes—and businessmen with deep pockets—have served as patrons and admirers. That’s not our world. We are moms and dads, teachers and students, doctors, plumbers, firemen, and cashiers. But we are the new patrons. Simply put, we are long on passion but short on…cash.

Sobered by harsh economic realities, we may quietly and reluctantly decide to leave it to someone else to support the arts. After all, the Long Island Arts Council gets governmental funding, right? Well, this year we suffered a major financial blow when we lost our state funding. Corporate sponsorships have also been a big part of our funding, but many corporations are choosing not to underwrite artistic ventures in this current climate. In short, organizations like ours are losing funding from the public and the private sector at an alarming rate.

We hope you understand that our economic outlook is dire. Without your immediate financial assistance, the Long Island Arts Council at Freeport will be forced to close its doors and vanish. Once lost, what do you really think are the chances it could ever be resurrected?

Please make a tax-deductible donation today to help the Long Island Arts Council at Freeport stay alive, a catalyst for artists and students and everyone in our community.

We encourage you to sit down and write your check immediately and send it to 130 East Merrick Road, Freeport, NY 11520. Or if you prefer, you can send us your MasterCard or Visa number, expiration date, signature, and the amount of your donation. Donations can also be made on our website through PayPal at www.liacfreeport.org. If you have any questions, please call 223-2522.

Living with art and enjoying art, that’s what makes us civilized. It elevates the quality of life and simply helps make it worth living.

Do you really want to live in a world without it? Art is—and must remain—available to everyone, every day. Your donation can help make that happen.

Thank you in advance
from Marnie Katzman and the Board and Staff of the Long Island Arts Council at Freeport!