This year LMCC celebrates its Golden Anniversary with you, our circle of artists, supporters, and friends!
On April 15, we gathered at the Conrad New York Downtown with New York City's civic, business, and artistic leaders to celebrate five decades of LMCC at The Downtown Dinner. But one party wasn't enough to mark 50 years of building creative communities! That's why we threw a series of festivities from March to June featuring artists and alumni from our community, showcasing what we loved to do - celebrating the art of gathering!
50th Anniversary Events
The Downtown Dinner
The Downtown Dinner returned to The Conrad Hotel on April 15, 2024, honoring Bill T. Jones with the Liberty Award for Artistic Leadership. The Dinner supported LMCC's efforts to serve, connect, and make space for artists and the community in Manhattan and beyond. We celebrated LMCC's Golden Anniversary as Manhattan's Arts Council! Together, we toasted to 50 years of leadership in artist services and 50 more to come.
Party as Performance Series
In celebration of LMCC’s 50th anniversary, we threw three parties in March, May, and June hosted by different LMCC alumni artists who specialized in the art of bringing people together. Each party brought together a specific artist, aesthetic, vibe, and community to explore themes of Practice, Process, and Participation. Our series culminated in a final party at the end of River To River with performances, music, and a moment to honor and highlight 50 years of building artist communities.
Introducing LMCC's New Board Chairs
LMCC as we know it would not be possible without the generosity and commitment of LMCC’s Board of Directors. We’re thrilled to welcome our new Board Chair, Craig Schwitter, Senior Partner of BuroHappold, and Vice Chair, Sujohn Sarkar, Managing Director of Assets Management at Trinity Church Wall Street. Craig and Sujohn are dedicated to creating artist-centric spaces and partnerships in NYC, and we look forward to their leadership in the decades to come.
We also extend our deepest gratitude to Timur Galen, a distinguished Director who has served on our Board for over 16 years, with a tenure of more than a decade as our Chair. Under his leadership, LMCC founded The Arts Center at Governors Island and became the lead producer of The River To River Festival. Timur has spearheaded our fundraising efforts and supported initiatives that allow us to serve artists in every corner of the borough. We are inspired by Timur’s enduring commitment to ensure that Manhattan and NYC remain a home for artists of all disciplines and practices, and profound passion for their work.
Support LMCC
LMCC is the Arts Council for the borough of Manhattan. It all started in 1973, when Flory Barnett, a lover and benefactor of the arts, saw how the Financial District could benefit from cultural activity, and realized local artists could bring energy and imagination to that district. With the help of David Rockefeller Sr., Chase Bank, and NYSCA, the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council was born.
Since then LMCC has supported thousands of NYC-based and international artists with resources, studio space, professional development, and most importantly, spaces for creative communities that continue to grow.