Upcoming Events
tools to empower our arts sector as we raise our voices for the arts.
HUDDLE | ZOOM | COMMUNITY
Monday, September 8, 2025 | 10:00am
TOPIC: The Creative Spark – Unlocking the Arts as a Regional Asset
Guest Speaker:
Eli Dvorkin, Editorial & Policy Director, Center for an Urban Future
This month’s Huddle offers something special: a sneak preview of Harnessing Long Island’s Creative Spark, a forthcoming report from Long Island Arts Alliance and the Center for an Urban Future. This first-of-its-kind study explores the creative sector’s role as a catalyst for economic vitality, inclusion, and regional identity—and makes the case for why the arts must be central to Long Island’s future.
Although the report remains under embargo until its official release, attendees will get an advance look at the research and findings with guest speaker Eli Dvorkin, Editorial & Policy Director at the Center for an Urban Future. Eli will share how the study came together, what it reveals about the region’s opportunities and challenges, and how it can fuel advocacy and cross-sector collaboration in the months ahead.
Whether you’re leading a cultural organization, creating as an independent artist, or working in a parallel field, this Huddle is a chance to help shape what comes next.
Discussion Prompt:
“What would it take for the arts to be fully recognized—and resourced—as essential to Long Island’s future?”
Past Event Recordings & Resources:
Info Session
Fundraising for the Arts with Impala
Recorded Thursday, July 24th, 2025 | 10:00 AM
LI Arts Alliance and Impala hosted a webinar on how arts nonprofits can leverage free access to Impala’s platform to streamline foundation prospecting. The session introduced Impala as a one-stop shop for prospect research—scraping billions of data points to deliver personalized insights—helping organizations identify funders, save time, and strengthen grant success.
Thanks to partnerships with groups like Nonprofit New York and the NY Funders Alliance, all New York nonprofits qualified for free access to Impala’s Core plan (a $1,600 value).
Creative Community Huddle
Topic: Making Data Work For The Arts
Recorded Monday, July 14, 2025 | 10:00 AM
In the July 2025 Creative Community Huddle, arts and culture leaders from across Long Island came together to explore how organizations can better collect, use, and share data to support visibility, advocacy, and funding.
The conversation covered practical tools, success stories, and challenges in data collection—from CRM systems to audience surveys—and introduced a new regional initiative: the LI Arts Data Collective, a collaborative effort to track attendance and ZIP code data across the sector.
Participants discussed how even simple, consistent data can be used to tell a more unified story of arts engagement on Long Island.
Creative Community Huddle
Topic: Demystifying NYSCA Funding
Recorded Monday, June 9, 2025 | 10:00 AM
This month’s Creative Community Huddle focused on navigating the FY 2026 New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) grant guidelines and application process. We were joined by Megan White, NYSCA’s Deputy Director of Programs, who provided a comprehensive overview of the three main funding categories, the prequalification process, panel review structure, and additional funding opportunities through NYFA and regional regrant partners.
We also discussed how Long Island Arts Alliance (LIAA) can serve as a fiscal sponsor for both artists and organizations applying to NYSCA—and what deadlines to keep in mind if you plan to go that route.
Resources:
- Watch the Full Recording Below
Info Session
NYSED Info Session: Building and Sustaining Arts-Focused School Communities
Hosted by Long Island Arts Alliance & Long Island Arts Education Coalition
Recorded April 3, 2025 | 11:00am
In response to the New York State Education Department's Request for Information: Building and Sustaining Arts-Focused School Communities, LIAA hosted an informational session to help arts educators, school leaders, and community partners understand the purpose of the RFI and how to contribute meaningfully.
This session provided:
A breakdown of the RFI’s goals and how it aligns with statewide arts education priorities; Guidance for submitting responses from both individual educators and organization; and Examples of successful arts-focused school-community partnerships
Presenters:
Lauren Wagner, Executive Director, Long Island Arts Alliance
Hon. Roger Tilles, NY State Board of Regents