Free Arts Day, December 2

ArtsWestchester has announced that this year’s Free Arts Day is set for Sunday, December 2, and will include 21 locations and 50 events.

ArtsWestchester has announced that this year’s Free Arts Day is set for Sunday, December 2, and will include 21 locations and 50 events. It offers the opportunity to enjoy free admission to historic sites, museums, films, concerts, art-making workshops, and more — for the entire family. A complete list of offerings is available at www.artsw.org/freeartsday.

Among the highlights this year are: free admission to Westchester’s leading museums, including Hudson River Museum (Yonkers), Katonah Museum of Art, and Hudson Valley Center for Contemporary Art (Peekskill). A variety of workshops and programs will be presented by number of cultural organizations, including The Play Group Theatre, Clay Art Center, Hudson Valley Writers Center, and the Rye Arts Center.

Free Arts Day was initiated in 2001, as a positive way to bring the community together in the aftermath of the 9/11 tragedies. Since then, the event has steadily grown in popularity, attracting thousands each December and becoming a signature event of the holiday season in Westchester County.

“One mission is to make arts of all kinds accessible to Westchester residents and tourists, regardless of their location or financial circumstances,” explains ArtsWestchester CEO Janet Langsam. “We want to help residents experience the joy and benefits that the arts have to offer.”

The variety of events offered showcases the depth of talent in the county. History buffs can enjoy a visit to Union Church in Pocantico Hills, courtesy of Historic Hudson Valley; music enthusiasts have the opportunity to hear famed pianist Robert DeGaetano at Downtown Music at Grace, presented by the Eastchester Arts Council; and film aficionados can take a behind-the-scenes look at an animated blockbuster film at Katonah Museum of Art.

Another mission of Free Arts Day is to provide an incentive for residents to discover (or re-discover) cultural organizations in their community. “With the abundance and variety of participating organizations — dance companies, theaters, galleries and music halls — there is something for everyone,” says Langsam.

ArtsWestchester will be raffling off an iPad to one lucky Free Arts Day visitor. To enter the raffle, visitors simply fill out the survey form at each Free Arts Day event they attend.

Participating organizations include:

ArtsWestchester

Blue Door Association

Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts

Castle Gallery (College of New Rochelle)

Clay Art Center

Downtown Music at Grace

Greenburgh Arts and Culture Committee

Historic Hudson Valley (Union Church of Pocantico Hills)

Hudson River Museum

Hudson Valley Center for Contemporary Art

Hudson Valley Writers’ Center