Nassau County's first grant to help fund the Great Neck Center for the Visual and Performing Arts-The Great Neck Arts Center-has been made possible through the efforts of County Legislator Lisanne Altmann (D-Great Neck).

In addition, she has suggested a "summit" of elected officials on all levels of government "to put our heads together and insure the financial future of this great community asset."

She said she has invited Legislator Bruce Blakeman (R-Woodmere), the majority leader of the county legislature, to tour the facility and meet with Arts Center officials to discuss greater Nassau County funding.

Meanwhile, Nassau County Executive Thomas Gulotta has been meeting with Arts Center representatives for several months to find an avenue for County support of the growing complex above the Squire Cinemas on Middle Neck Road.

"The Great Neck Arts Center has many friends in County government," Gulotta said. "What the County must do, as well as all levels of government, is look into long-range ways to fund the Arts Center so finances are not a continuing problem."

The "Program Enhancement Grant" Altmann has secured, for $15,000, she called "only the first level of county involvement in the Arts Center. I am sure Nassau County is interested in further funding," she said.

Blakeman notified each county legislator that they could allocate $15,000 as a "member item," or funds legislators could grant at their own discretion within their district. Altman said she "immediately thought of the Arts Center, knowing of its financial problems.

"I saw the effort by so many people in Great Neck to get the Arts Center going," she said. "This is a project that benefits the entire community, so when I had discretionary funds I wanted them to go there."

Great Neck Arts Center Executive Director Regina Gil called the idea of a summit of elected officials to help the Arts Center a good one, and immediately appointed an aide to plan such a meeting as quickly as possible.

The Arts Center-in space it owns at 113 Middle Neck Road-was designed in two construction stages. Initial construction was completed last September, with facilities for art, music, dance, theater and ceramics. A fund-raising drive is currently underway to pay for that construction. The second stage of development would expand existing space, as well as add performance facilities in an adjoining location.

During its initial year of existence the Arts Center operated out of small rented quarters at St. Paul's Church on Grace Avenue. It moved to its new location last September. The Center's School for the Arts enrolled more than 1,000 students during its first year in the new facility. The Arts Center also sponsors numerous concerts and art shows and operates outreach programs at Spinney Hill's High Street Center and elsewhere in the community.

"I see this initial Nassau County support as a validation or expression of confidence in what we are doing and our ability to meet our goals," Gil said. "To date we have survived on the efforts of a great many volunteers who love this project and love this community. It is very reassuring to know that Nassau County is taking note of this grass roots effort for the arts that is underway in Great Neck."

She said additional funds would be used to begin to make plans for the second phase of Arts Center development. She said she looks forward to sitting down and discussing plans with village mayors, county officials, our state assemblyman and senator, and Congressmen as soon as possible.

"Wouldn't it be great to have them all in a room at the same time to discuss funding so that we can assure the arts for future generations of Great Neck residents."