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The Long Island Public Arts Festival (LIPAF) is an immersive, multi-site, multi-exhibition public arts installation series. It all started as a partnership between Colored Colors and BACCA (Babylon Citizen’s Council on the Arts) at Phelps Lane Park in the Town of Babylon, with support from the Suffolk County Office of Cultural Affairs (SCOCA).
They call these tri-fold elements dotting the landscape “prisms.” What they are, are larger than life canvas prints of works of artists from throughout New York State thoughtfully displayed in public parks for all to enjoy. Founded on the South Shore, the concept has quickly spread north, gaining support and appreciation, while bridging communities and connecting people through the power of art.
Check out the beautiful LIPAF website for developing details Each show is unique, providing ample opportunity for Long Island’s rich artist community and all who appreciate or participate.
The first exhibition ran 7/1-8/9 at Phelps Lane Park in the Town of Babylon, showcasing over 50 artworks in these striking life-size prisms running along the park’s waterside. It was a pleasure to get to tour the works with participating artist, Rae Cerulean.
Opening 9/1 and running until 10/4, the mid-summer anchor of LIPAF 2026 is a display at the newly refurbished Geiger Park, in Deer Park. According to the website, “this location focuses on the intersection of public space and community education, highlighting the park’s transformation through immersive installations.”
We can’t wait to see it!
The third leg will run 10/9-11/1 at Heckscher Park in Huntington. This one is part of a special collaboration with the Huntington Township Chamber of Commerce. Its kickoff will occur during the Long Island Fall Festival, richly enhancing this largest event of its kind in the Northeast.
Running through August 31st, LIPAF 250: The Liberty Trail is a landmark public arts initiative inspired by and taking the concept of LIPAF to a deeper level.
Created in close cooperation with Town Historian Robert C. Hughes and the Huntington Historical Society, this special adjunct to the main Arts Festival involves a physical “Liberty Trail” commemorating the 250th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Its purpose is to invite exploration and reflection on three core principles: Heritage, Unity, and Liberty. As an enduring record, selected works will be professionally digitized and included in the permanent LIPAF 250 Historical Archive.
A series of Instagram reels featuring Huntington Historical Society Executive Director Stephanie Gotard, Huntington Town Historian Robert Hughes and Huntington African American Museum Executive Director Barry Lites explain the inspiration, purpose and perpetual relevance of this project and the Declaration of Independence itself.
Said Hughes, “The 250th is such a milestone that we think it’s very important that everyone understands not only the ‘who what and where’ of the revolution 250 years ago, but the concepts behind it, such as liberty. The arts are a perfect way…”
All in all, it’s a remarkable exercise in human expression, artist appreciation and the opportunity to deeply reflect on much. For free. In beautiful places not so very far from our own back doors.
We are grateful to Jose, Jason and all who have come together to make this concept a reality. We look forward to seeing this further develop.
It’s good stuff.
Click here for the latest edition of Firefly Lights, all about our beautiful downtown gallery of local art and artists.
REFRESH YOUR SOUL |
To subscribe to The Firefly Artists newsletter, please drop us a line indicating interest here.
Click here for the latest edition of Firefly Lights, all about our beautiful downtown gallery of local art and artists.
REFRESH YOUR SOUL |
To subscribe to The Firefly Artists newsletter, please drop us a line indicating interest here.
Click here for the latest edition of Firefly Lights, all about our beautiful downtown gallery of local art and artists.
REFRESH YOUR SOUL |
To subscribe to The Firefly Artists newsletter, please drop us a line indicating interest here.
Where Creative Expression Transforms Lives. For Everyone.
On the homepage of Spirit of Huntington’s website they describe themselves as “a nonprofit organization that ignites the passion of students of all ages and abilities for creative expression that transforms lives.” A perfect summarization of this wonderful organization.
Please note the emphasis on ALL abilities. The community centers are open to everyone, to the benefit of all involved. They see it every day, and delight at how deep and broad it’s all become.
It all started with a guy name Erich, a gifted multi media artist who happens to be on the Autism Spectrum. Erich imagined a space where folks like him could thrive. He then established deep partnerships with some amazing people who worked with him to manifest his dream.
You might remember where it all began, even if you didn’t really know what it was; an old gas station transformed into public art, where a bigger than life George Washington and his men overlooked the corner of East Main Street and Park Ave. Another mural there featured a beloved local veteran and camera shop owner in uniform at the Memorial Day Parade. There were more.
That was the first home of the Spirit of Huntington, a remarkable landmark that housed an even more extraordinary initiative. It was sad when that building came down, but amazing what they were able to build after. The space they’ve occupied for the last decade now is phenomenal.
It doesn’t stop there. The Spirit of Huntington has grown in scope dramatically since opening. “Rise in Spirit” is a remarkable partnership with Rise Life Services and North Shore Dance that lives under their roof. The organization also provides key marketing and education services to other organizations, such as guiding a rebrand, helping establish a multi-discipline arts center in Northport and otherwise helping enrich programming for the People’s Arc of Suffolk.
Now, they are in the process of opening up a new Spirit of Huntington center in Queens.
Executive Director Michael Kitakis is excited how, from one person’s vision, this has now transformed into communities. It’s amazing to witness, and incredibly enriching to all involved. As far as he can see, it’s also key to a successful future.
Said Michael, “I’m excited about the opportunity of building more CBO’s community Based organizations to serve not just our neurodiverse population but the whole neighborhood and all of its constituents. One big family that realizes that creative expression transforms lives!”
The Spirit of Huntington headquarters occupies the old library building on Melville Road in South Huntington. Erich’s studio overlooks the main art space. There, you may often find him and his dog, Ollie, working as they preside over a multi-media creative learning center that serves folks of all abilities. In addition to the main studio space, there are rooms dedicated to music and multimedia recording. Diverse community partnerships help them make all sorts of other dreams a reality.
Some programs combine these elements. There are explorations of famous artists and their challenges. Digital media and other classes offer diverse opportunities to gain skills required to succeed in art and other aspects of life. Check out their YouTube channel, Spirit Studios created by and for program participants, where they share a lot about their programming, including a new podcast produced in collaboration with neighbors at the People’s Arc of Suffolk.
Says the website, “Our program empowers students by tapping into their natural creative abilities and encouraging them to create their own masterpieces and channel their emotions and feelings through the arts.” They also say “Participants channel their passion and learn to practice both the hard and soft skills needed to get by in today’s world of technology.”
Most fundamentally, they say, “Our Center is built on a foundation of love that fosters problem solving and free expression that can help nurture students of all ages in our structured, safe environment.”
It shows!
The ArtAbility Tour promotes inclusion and diversity in the arts by displaying the talent of more than 50 folks who live with various physical and intellectual impairments. As they put it, “Our exhibitions make each and every student feel acknowledged, appreciated, and celebrated.”
It’s a way students can show their appreciation as well, proceeds for related art sales go directly back into class funding.
The works are beautiful and thought provoking. If you explore them with the teachers, they will share remarkable stories about their creations and the enrichment they received experiencing their students’ unique perspectives and approaches. Sometimes it’s clear on the canvas. Other times you need a little back story.
It’s beautiful and profound.
Check out their website and social media to learn much more about Spirit of Huntington and its work with partners Island-wide and beyond. We are really excited to learn about the extent of their partnerships. The whole philosophy is about building community, and bringing their special expertise to serve folks of all Abilities.
If you want to get involved, they are actively seeking instructors.
As you might imagine, they welcome all the support they can get. Cash donations are always helpful! They can also use art supplies, camera equipment, computers, as well as folks willing to open their doors to new opportunities. Learn more about how you might support the organization and its activities here.
They can give you all sorts of details regarding their impact. We’d also suggest you talk to some of the participating teachers and families. It’s inspiring!
July is Disability Pride Month. You can read all about it here on the website of The People’s ARC of Suffolk. Its purpose is to “celebrate disability identity and community, mark the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and push for full inclusion in everyday life. The 2026 theme is ‘The World Works Better With Us.’”
ARC has been advancing the dignity and potential of folks with intellectual and developmental disabilities for over 75 years, making it the largest and one of the oldest organizations of its kind. It started in 1949 when “a two-line classified ad in the New York Post ignited the spark that brought together a small group of parents. What began as a modest response soon evolved into a powerful movement, fueled by word of mouth and compelling news coverage. Within a year, this heartfelt call united hundreds of determined parents.”
You can read more here, on the founding chapter’s website, including a timeline of accomplishments and a far more detailed scholarly review.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has its own storied history, climaxing at a poignant moment on March 12, 1990 in Washington DC. There, a group of 1000 disabled activists had come to protest the “crawling pace” of stalled legislation by eschewing their wheelchairs and climbing the Capitol Stairs.
Among them was Jennifer Keelan-Chaffins, a girl with Cerebral Palsy who had been among demonstrators since she was six and already arrested for doing so by 7. In between, she’d experienced the indignity of being refused restaurant service because the establishment felt clientele would find their eating distasteful.
Although discouraged by others in the advocacy world, because they feared she would elicit pity rather than a sense of empowerment, 8-year old Jennifer determined that she was going to have her generation represented and insisted upon making the climb.
While we can never be entirely sure what moves a nation, the act received meaningful coverage, and seemed to make a profound impact. Four months later, President George H. W. Bush signed the ADA into law, revolutionizing nearly every aspect of life for folks with disabilities.
You can read more about Jennifer here. There’s a children’s book and a statue. Folks hope that work of art someday gets to visit Long Island. Even moreso, they hope we’ll not take these advances for granted, and recognize that when we serve folks with different abilities, we’re serving everyone.
You can check out the national organization here. There are now 549 chapters covering 42 states. On Long Island, the organization has had a rich history with chapters in both Nassau and Suffolk Counties.
In addition to passionate advocacy, the key objective is to maximize individuals’ independence at home and in the community through varied services and programs. They’ve changed a lot over the years, both internally and externally as they’ve championed progress and learned better themselves, All the while, they’ve maintained the spirit of love and community among folks of all abilities that brought them together in the first place.
Along with its well-established array of services, including employment opportunities, education programs, and community engagement, the newly renamed “People’s Arc of Suffolk” is “expanding the creative outlets available to people of all abilities.”
Among its recent highlights, we were delighted to see folks of the Spirit of Huntington collaborate with the Suffolk Chapter to assist the rebranding to better reflect the modern organization, and to establish with them a new ARC Performing Arts Center in Northport. There, folks may explore theater, music, dance, visual art and video production. This includes a new podcast called “The People’s Artist.”
There are now eight Suffolk locations in total, including an art community in Westhampton Beach, a vocational community in Bohemia and a nature and horticulture community in West Sayville. Spirit of Huntington is excited to be so closely involved, especially in Northport, bringing their rich experience in the arts to serve the venerable organization.
To Spirit of Huntington Executive Director, Michael Kitakis, it’s all about community, and folks finding their strengths and sharing them. “The concept that we’re recognizing is that we can’t do everything ourselves. Why would we? Spirit of Huntington has been focused on the arts and their application for 15 years. We are delighted to bring this expertise to The People’s Arc of Suffolk.”
Visit the website, learn more, and get involved!
If you’d like to consider a career with The People’s Arc, you may explore opportunities here.
It’s kind of remarkable how exciting this latest move is for John’s Crazy Socks, given the incredible success they’ve already experienced. The father & son enterprise has served the world for a full decade now. Dedicated to proving what’s possible…
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The Tesla Science Center has much to celebrate! This July, they will host an expo celebrating the extraordinary scientist’s 170th birthday and the Grand Opening of the Sayan Center — the first public building to open on Wardenclyffe site!
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