2023 Smart Growth Awards

Smart Growth Awards Logo

For over 20 years Vision Long Island has been honoring individuals, organizations, and projects that advance the growth of our downtowns and infrastructure. Specific focus areas include transit oriented development, affordable housing, environmental sustainability, traffic calming, transportation enhancements, clean energy and community based planning.

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21st Annual Smart Growth Awards: LIVE and In-Person!

Smart Growth Awards Logo

For over 20 years Vision Long Island has been honoring individuals, organizations, and projects that advance the growth of our downtowns and infrastructure. Specific focus areas include transit oriented development, affordable housing, environmental sustainability, traffic calming, transportation enhancements, clean energy and community based planning.

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Call to Artists: The Snowball Effect

Logo for The Snowball Effect

CALL TO ARTISTS! Deadline to Apply is 12/20 for this January show at The Firefly Artists. The theme is winter-inspired works. The term “Snowball Effect” also speaks to the momentum of creative manifestation….so let us know about your inspiration and/or process by sharing a brief paragraph or early sketch as well!

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Firefly Lights – 11/21

The Firefly Artists Logo

Come to our community-oriented gallery created by and for local artists at 162 Main St, Northport. We’re open Tues-Thurs 11am-6pm, Fri and Sat 11am-8pm and Sun 11am-5pm. There is ALWAYS something new on the wall, and often being created on site! Send Katie an email if you’d like to meet up down there!

Like elves themselves, Fireflies are planning all sorts of wonderful things for the Holidays. We can’t wait to share! Visit our beautiful new website, and follow us on Facebook and Instagram for emerging details.

Now’s the Time! We don’t wish to rush things, but if you want to ask an artist to make something special. NOW is the time to order it! Come on in, see what strikes your fancy and ask to be put in touch with the artist!

Welcome New Firefly Diana Anton! Diana Anton’s work “reflects the process of its making,” yielding beautiful, enigmatic pieces. Check out her Website. Follow her on Facebook and Instagram. Better, come see at the Firefly!

Firefly Friends & Family Exhibition We reserved our beautiful upstairs Darcy Arts Center for the Fireflies for the holidays, and invited them to invite other artists to join them! Some are freshly emerging creators whom Fireflies are encouraging to get their work out there. Others are established artists whom they’ve invited in. All together, it’s marvelous!

Exhibition Date: November 12 – December 31

Reception: December 4th, 3-5pm

Masks are warmly welcomed (we have some beautiful ones for sale!) and required for those not vaccinated.

We’ve Been Nominated “LI’s Best Gallery” in the annual “Bethpage Best of LI” contest! One of our Fireflies, Kirk Larsen, has been nominated as well! You can vote for both of us – and other great local treasures – EVERY DAY between now and December 5th!

Here’s the link To VOTE for The Firefly Artists

Here’s the link To VOTE for Kirk Larsen

Jewelry Making with Rachel Kalina! Want to make a very special gift? Or do the holidays just make you want to hit something with a hammer? Perhaps both? Rachel Kalina of The Wood & Watch is here for you!!!

She can guide in stamping a phrase onto metal for a very special token, or help you commence your own full-on jewelry smithing adventure. See her work on Instagram @thewoodandwatch. Inquire further by emailing thewoodandwatch@gmail.com

We’re being honored! with a “Special Citation for a Business Award by the NYS Art Teacher’s Association (NYSATA). It’s all Beth’s fault, really, what with all she does to keep teaching teachers and advancing young artists, supporting NYSATA and so much else. Her and all those other amazing teachers we get to call our own…Grateful…

More classes, holiday events and specials are coming! Check our website and social media often!!

2020 Smart Growth Summit Review

While the event was very long, and dug into many deep challenges, it was an overwhelmingly hopeful affair, grounded in real people doing real things, so much so that folks kept watching long after 5pm on Friday! In summary:

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Vision Smart Growth Awards, Summit

We also deeply missed being able to gather with 1,000 community leaders at a live Smart Growth Awards this year. We are grateful for all our sponsors at Vision Long Island do to advance Smart Growth, their focus on serving Main Street (especially now!) and for their endeavors — like so many other nonprofits — to ensure their important work continues.

The online version was still deeply valuable. You can read a brief description of the honorees here. Check out their YouTube page for a video of the event itself, as well as great videos at the sites with the honorees.

Please also continue to check out the Long Island Main Street Alliance for news and information aimed at helping Long Island’s small businesses.

The Smart Growth Summit will also be virtual this year!

“In a time of social distancing and being unable to meet in person, the 19th Annual Long Island Smart Growth Summit is an event that takes on more importance as we seek to assist our local communities through economic recovery guided by placemaking principles.

This year, due to the ongoing pandemic, we will be holding a virtual program that will feature workshops, technical worksessions, and plenary sessions on regional and local issues facing downtown redevelopment, complete streets projects, infrastructure investment, regulatory relief and economic recovery through the Coronavirus.

For years, Vision has brought together thousands of civic members, chambers, community-minded developers, environmentalists, design professionals, labor, academics, seniors, young people, and minority owned businesses along with federal, state, county, town and village officials from Long Island and the region.

We need your continued energy and participation to help shape recovery efforts so the many years of progress made in our local communities is not lost.”

When: December 2nd through 4th

For More Info and to Register: Visit their Eventbrite page

We Repeat: Main Street News is a Must-Read

We’ve said it before, we’re going to keep saying it:

 

THIS IS VALUABLE AND IMPORTANT.

Vision Long Island and the Long Island Main Street Alliance publish the Main Street News. This is a grounded, productive, community-oriented force for those who care about the economic aspects of the COVID-19 crisis. It’s sobering, comprehensive and helpful.

While these issues are bursting with a broad range of information and resources, some key issues lately involve strong advocacy for local leadership, particularly in terms of local zoning, helping local businesses prepare for reopening, and focusing on the need and what’s being done to help folks meet basic human needs.

There’s some substantive good news in there, too.

Check out their website. Follow their Facebook.

Vision is one of our strongest advocates for Long Island downtowns, and has been generally connecting diverse local stakeholders to learn and work together for the betterment of our communities for over 20 years. We strongly believe they are a huge reason why there’s as much healthy communication and collaboration in the name of true public service and community development on Long Island as there is today. We are grateful to call them a sponsor.

Main Street News is a Must-Read

We’ve said it before, we’re going to keep saying it:

THIS IS VALUABLE AND IMPORTANT.

Vision Long Island and the Long Island Main Street Alliance continue to release daily issues of their new Main Street News.

This is a grounded, productive, community-oriented force for those who care about the economic aspects of this crisis. It’s sobering, comprehensive and helpful.

There’s news about what’s happening, what’s open, resources, proposed legislation and whatever else they can find to help folks weather the storm. They have also added a “Good News” component that highlights folks doing the right thing.

Check out their website. Follow their Facebook.

Vision is one of our strongest advocates for Long Island downtowns, and has been generally connecting diverse local stakeholders to learn and work together for the betterment of our communities for over 20 years. We strongly believe they are a huge reason why there’s as much healthy communication and collaboration in the name of true public service and community development on Long Island as there is today. We are grateful.