HISTORY
Supportive, open, creative, authentic, fun, bold…. together we create Westbury.
In 2013 Mayor Peter Cavallaro asked residents for their assistance in creating an arts council for the Westbury community. Mayor Cavallaro envisioned Westbury Arts as the cultural centerpiece of the Village and as the premier destination for arts and culture on Long Island. Over the past ten years, Westbury Arts has grown and transformed in ways we could not have imagined.
Our journey began with the opening of our building in the heart of the Village, providing a welcoming oasis where artistic expressions serve to bring us together, stir our imaginations and soothe our souls.
Grand opening weekend festivities began with an open house on Saturday, June 12th, 2021, and an opportunity to meet renowned artist, Francisco Ciccio Poblet, the last living apprentice of Salvador Dalí. His works were exhibited in the gallery from June 15th through the 27th amid the “unveiling” of a huge 53-foot-long hand painted outdoor mural, across the street from the Westbury Arts building (covering the entire side wall of Jin’s Apple Farm).
The Westbury Arts mural project was made possible, in part, with funds from the Decentralization Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature and administered by the Huntington Arts Council.
Grand opening events also featured the theatrical performance of an original comedy in one-act by Meagan J. Meehan entitled “The Values of Gold, Silver & Bronze,” followed by musical performances by Carle Place High School students Devin Eichel and Antonio Urrutia. The weekend concluded on Sunday with a “Family Fun Day” of multiple activities of kid-focused arts and crafts, bilingual story time, a painting workshop, cupcake decorating, games and a dance party featuring live music with guest Julian Soler from Soleart Corp.
Since our opening day, we continue to celebrate diversity and collaboration through monthly art exhibitions and workshops, indoor and piazza concert series, book discussions, youth and member showcases, educational/social fundraising galas, poetry, spoken word and theatrical performances. Westbury Arts has become a Long Island arts destination for all seasons.