A special brunch fundraiser, hosted by the Long Island Arts Council at Freeport, brought together more than 100 Long Island residents to celebrate decades of artistic contributions by select honorees. The money raised at the gathering will help fund more of the Arts Council’s community events.
The annual event, known for decades as the Arty Party Brunch, took place last Sunday at the Bayview, on Freeport’s Nautical Mile. Raffles, auctions and admission fees helped raise significant funds for the council.
Four men — Jack Holly, Greg Ingino, Kirk Larsen and Toby Walker — were honored for their art-based careers and other notable service on Long Island. Representatives of the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County, in Glen Cove, were also given special recognition for the institution’s utilization of art and local artists for education.
The event was described by Lois Howes, the arts council’s president, as its biggest annual fundraiser, helping the 52-year-old organization continue delivering programs, most of them free. They include summer concerts, photography shows, student poetry-writing reviews, painting classes for children and adults, art exhibits in the council’s Art Alcove gallery, in the Freeport Recreation Center, and student scholarships.
“Most of these things we do not charge for,” Howes said. “So this is basically our way to do it. We have a good turnout this year, and have some amazing honorees.”
Holly, 96, the last surviving founder of the council, declared himself likely the oldest person present at the event. He expressed appreciation for the Founder’s Award he was presented with, and for the council’s continued work.
“I’m just glad that the arts council is still going and doing things,” Holly told the Herald. “I mean, it has to be active in doing things. We were always a very active organization. We had concerts and lectures and classes and so on. It was always very active.”
Holly explained that the council was originally the idea of Freeport resident Harold Levine, who ran an advertising agency in New York City.
“He thought that Freeport should have an arts council to enhance the arts experience for [our] community and schools,” Holly said. “So he got a whole bunch of us together, and we hashed over the idea of making an arts council.” The organization was incorporated in 1974.
Larsen, the Arts Recognition Tribute Award recipient, is a multimedia artist who has worked in realms ranging from sketching to poetry to filmmaking. One of his most notable achievements is being nominated twice for poet laureate of Nassau County, despite never outright winning the title.
Larsen said he most enjoys plein air, the practice of painting outdoors, in addition to creating vibrant maritime landscapes. He added that he also likes giving back to the Long Island community by joining forces with the Huntington-based nonprofit Splashes of Hope to create murals for hospitals, children’s treatment rooms, veterans’ groups and homeless shelters.
“I feel that as an artist, I have an obligation to contribute to culture,” Larsen said. “In addition to that, when my art can help support the community or benefit others, that’s something that’s really important to me. To be recognized for that is an honor.”
Others who attended the Arty Party Brunch included Nassau County Legislator Debra Mulé and Freeport Chamber of Commerce President Benjamin Jackson, both of whom awarded honorary citations to the award recipients. Jackson is challenging Mulé for her 6th District seat.
