With its 501 (c) 3 not-for-profit status now secured, the leaders of Glen Cove’s First City Project Collective, Inc. are pleased to announce that they are now embarking upon the next chapter of their mission to transform the City of Glen Cove into the art and innovation mecca of Long Island.
The mission of the First City Project Collective, which secured not-for-profit status in February 2022, is to harness the power of the arts as an engine for economic growth in Glen Cove that provides new opportunities for artists to showcase their talents. A kickoff celebration to launch First City Project Collective’s newest chapter as a not-for-profit organization is being planned for mid-July of this year.
First City Project Collective’s roots can be traced back to 2017, when Martino Auto Concept owners and philanthropists Joe LaPadula and Jon Holzer transformed the circa-1810 Coles House in Glen Cove into a kaleidoscopic street-art exhibit. Since that time, LaPadula, Holzer and the Collective have spearheaded community events, including last fall’s “Arts and Automobiles” exhibition at RXR Village Square; a successful pop-up art gallery; and an array of holiday-season events, including one of the nation’s largest annual Toys for Tots drives.
“FCP Collective aims to start a dialogue with the community where a balance can be achieved through a new art medium and a new spirit of creativity that can rise alongside the traditional values within the first city on Long Island,” LaPadula, the Founder, President and Chair of First City Project Collective’s Board of Directors, said.
Future programming is envisioned to encompass a portfolio of live art events and walks, mural projects, student art classes, artisanal food events, art-themed boutiques, popups at Coles House, and more, with a goal of creating a “welcoming place where people flock to see not only great street art” that boosts tourism and creates an attraction for locals to enjoy.
“First City Project Collective seeks to become a catalyst for cultural energy in the city of Glen Cove by developing public art and cultural activities to celebrate our community, bring positivity and artistic vibrancy to the neighborhood, and engage the town’s youth through parks, recreation and arts programs,” said co-founder Soojin Kim, who is First City Project Collective’s Program & Special Events Director and Vice-Chair of the Board. “FCP Collective aims to enhance the neighborhood identity to strengthen economic development, drive tourism, educate, and enrich the spirit and pride of Glen Cove.”
In addition to LaPadula, Kim and Holzer (who serves as Chief Operating Officer) the board of directors for First City Project Collective includes: CPA and former Glen Cove City Councilman Michael G. Norman (Board Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer); lifelong Glen Cove resident and current Nassau County Legislator Delia DeRiggi-Whitton (Advocacy Director and Board Secretary); and former Glen Cove City Councilman Rocco Totino, Esq. (Director of Philanthropy and Legal Counsel).
“Not only does embracing the arts enrich our minds, expand our horizons, and feed our souls, art has the power to make a city like Glen Cove a destination for all who wish to immerse themselves in an atmosphere of creativity,” DeRiggi-Whitton said. “That is why I am so excited to be a part of the First City Project Collective and all of the promise it holds for making Glen Cove an even more prosperous and vibrant place to live, work, play, and raise a family.”
PHOTO CAPTION – The board members of the First City Project Collective. Pictured, from left: Soojin Kim; Jon Holzer; Joe LaPadula; Delia DeRiggi-Whitton; Michael G. Norman and Rocco Totino.
PHOTO CREDIT – Photo by Peter M. Budraitis
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