In the heart of downtown Riverhead stands a group of historic buildings dedicated to the health of the fine arts on Long Islands East End. On any given day, a passer-by might be treated to the sight of sculpture decorating the grounds, the sound of the grand piano wafting out of the windows, a children's theater class rehearsing on the lawn, or a painting class enjoying the weather. No matter the time, the day, or the season, something creative and exciting is happening at the East End Arts Council, and everyone is welcome to come inside the gates and explore their creativity.
The East End Arts and Humanities Council is a not-forprofit 501 (c)(3) organization created in 1972 to promote the fine arts on the east end. At the time of its creation, Riverhead was considerably more rural, and government initiatives were put in place to encourage the growth of the arts in such communities. These days, the EEAC is funded by a combination of grants, corporate sponsorships, fundraising events, and membership fees. The EEAC is housed in two historic buildings, the Davis-Corwin house and the Benjamin house, both built in the mid-1800s. The houses stand together on Main Street, with a number of outbuildings behind them, creating a complex big enough to provide space for the School of the Arts, the EEAC Art Gallery and offices, as well as lots of classroom, studio, and performance space in the recently renovated Carriage House. The shady grounds between the buildings offer the perfect place for outdoor art classes, summer drum circles, children's summer programs and more.
"The East End Arts Council—bringing the arts to everyone and inspiring our communities through support, advocacy, and education." This is the mission statement that guides the activities of the EEAC. They achieve this mission spectacularly in a variety of ways.
The School of the Arts offers a huge variety of classes yearround to help people of all ages explore the arts. This winter, offerings include such diverse classes as Studio Recording, Storyboarding, Printmaking, Acting for kids, Improv for adults, and Youth Chamber Ensemble. These are only a few of the multitude of opportunities aimed at every age, every interest, and every skill level. The School of the Arts also offers private music instruction on nearly every instrument with group music lessons also available.
Another innovative and popular program run by the School of the Arts is the Homeschool program. Parents who choose to homeschool their children are often at a loss when it comes to fine arts instruction, and they must find creative ways to fill in those gaps. These students come to Riverhead during the week to participate in art, theater, and music classes, which enhance their homeschool experience. EEAC has recently expanded its reach, and is now offering classes and private lessons at Greenport's Brecknock Hall as well, with the expectation of growth over time.
As exciting and busy as the School of the Arts is, it is only one part of what the EEAC does. EEAC Artist Services is another important and unique offering. One of the more important aspects of Artist Services is gallery displays. The Art Gallery on Main Street is open to the public and hosts a large number of shows each year. The Dimon Gallery, located in the Jamesport Manor Inn, and the Riverhead Town Hall are both satellite galleries. The EEAC offers 8 juried art shows per year. 2011 has been designated "The Year of the Collector", and the goals are to teach artists how to present their work and make themselves desirable as collectible artists, and to promote these artists to the art-buying public, increasing the number of people who collect art. EEAC is also the administrative site of the Strategic Opportunities Stipend (SOS) program, supported by the New York Foundation for the Arts. It is designed to help artists, musicians, writers, dancers, and others take advantage of opportunities that can significantly enhance their careers. This program includes helping with grant writing, promotion of the artist's work, display and performance opportunities, and much more.
The first gallery event of the year is the members Miniatures Show, running January 14 through February 25th. All the art displayed is small scale, and designed to be affordable and collectable, kicking off the "Year of the Collector."
The EEAC is actively involved in fine arts activities out in the community, and they sponsor and participate in many events throughout the year. One of their most popular events is the Annual Riverhead Community Mosaic Street Painting Festival held at the end of May. Now in its 15th year, the festival features dazzling sidewalk chalk art created by amazing artists from all over the country. The event also includes an arts and crafts fair, food, live music, face painting, drum circles, and more. This fair is a perfect opportunity to experience the range of opportunities the EEAC offers the community.
But there's no need to wait for warm weather to soak up some culture on the East End. The EEAC also coordinates the music for the popular Winterfest-Jazz on the Vine Festival that runs from February 12 through March 20. This event was created several years ago to entice visitors out to the North Fork during the winter months. Fine jazz musicians appear at different wineries and restaurants each weekend throughout the festival. Special winter getaway packages are available at local restaurants and Bed and Breakfast Inns. Winterfest's popularity grows each year, as visitors realize that cozying up to a fire, sipping fine wine and listening to jazz is the perfect way to chase away the winter blues. For details on schedules and special offers, visit www.liwinterfest.com.
The far reach and deep impact of the EEAC is difficult to encapsulate. The council is deeply involved in nearly every cultural event on the East End in some capacity, and is constantly reaching farther and offering more. To join the EEAC and become involved in the work they are doing, to learn about one of the many events they sponsor, or to find that class you always wanted to take, visit www.eastendarts.org or call 631-369-2171.
