By Jerry McKinstry, Thompson & Bender, for ArtsWestchester

Oct. 28, 2015:  ArtsWestchester recently announced that it was honoring A. Corwin Frost of Bronxville at its November 20 gala that is celebrating the organization's 50th Anniversary.

Frost is among a group of 19 former and current presidents being honored at the gala for ensuring ArtsWestchester's growth and success throughout its five decades in existence.

In announcing this tribute during a celebratory event in October at The Ritz-Carlton, Westchester, ArtsWestchester CEO Janet Langsam praised the work of these Westchester leaders who have each, in his and her own way, propelled the organization from a small group of volunteers in 1965 to a nationally recognized private arts council, the largest of its kind in New York State.

"Westchester County is a more vibrant place because of the hard work, dedication, and leadership of these devoted individuals," said Langsam. "The work of these board presidents has grown the cultural industry in Westchester to an economic impact of more than $156 million. They deserve this tribute."

ArtsWestchester was founded in 1965--the same year as the National Endowment for the Arts--when a small group of volunteers wanted to build a cultural center in the suburbs similar to Lincoln Center. But the early founders instead focused their energies and resources on arts programming and advocacy. A year after they organized as an arts council, they received their first $1,500 grant from the New York State Council on the Arts. Over the years, ArtsWestchester has invested over $35 million in arts and cultural programming, supported over 1,300 artists and 300 cultural institutions, and worked with Westchester school districts to bring the arts into the classroom.

The organization's mission came full-circle in 1998 when it acquired and renovated a historic nine-story building in downtown White Plains that serves as ArtsWestchester's headquarters, performance space, and a gallery for artists, while remaining a cultural resource for the entire county. To this day, ArtsWestchester remains the county's cultural lynchpin.

Frost was president during a pivotal time for the arts council, guiding the development of an arts action plan that envisioned a larger and broader role for the organization.

A graduate of Phillips Exeter Academy, Princeton University, and the Rhode Island School of Design, A. Corwin Frost is a third-generation architect who practiced architecture in New York City with Frost Associates. He subsequently became responsible for architecture and engineering services as director of facilities engineering for CBS Inc., and then he became deputy director of design, construction, and management for the City University of New York. Later, he became an architectural and planning consultant for several clients, including the Newark, NJ, public schools. He has served as a trustee of the Rhode Island School of Design and the chairman of the Bronxville Planning Board, and he was president of the then-Council for the Arts in Westchester (now ArtsWestchester) from 1974 to 1995.

Frost lives in Bronxville with his wife, Randy Frost, also a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design. Randy is a fiber artist and was active for many years as an artist-in-residence with ArtsWestchester, working in several Westchester schools.

"ArtsWestchester, as now constituted, evolved from the Council for the Arts in Westchester," said Frost. "I had the honor of serving as president in 1974-75, which was the pivotal time during which the arts action plan was developed with an arts consultant and envisioned the larger and broader-based organization that exists and thrives today."

The honorees are:

Froma Benerofe (2014–Present)
Jacqueline A. Walker (2012–2014)
Joseph Oates (2010– 2012)
Stephen K. Dishart (2009–2010)
John Peckham (2005–2009)
Jamie Shenkman (2002–2005)
LaRuth Gray (2001–2002)
A. Maren Hexter (1997–2000)
Betty Himmel (1995–1997)
Kenneth J. Gould (1992–1995)
Francis G. Ronnenberg (1990–1992)*
Timothy J. Curtin (1987–1990)
Dorothy Swegel (1985–1987)*
Daniel Idzik (1983-1985)
Katherine Niles (1977–1983)*
William J. Bridenbecker (1975–1976)*
A. Corwin Frost (1974–1975)
Polly Siwek (1969–1973)*
George Newlin (1966–1969)
*Deceased

Current board president Froma Benerofe, whose tenure has been marked by a surge in arts support, had this to say: "ArtsWestchester is the hub of the arts community in Westchester--both in supporting and building a stronger cultural presence. As board president, I have had the joy and opportunity to meet and work with an incredible group of professional and volunteer leaders who are so diverse and yet so cohesive."

The 50th anniversary gala will be held at 6:30 pm on Friday, November 20, 2015, at The Ritz-Carlton, Westchester, in White Plains. For tickets, journal ads, or sponsorship opportunities, go to artswestchester.org.

Pictured here:  A. Corwin Frost.

Photo courtesy ArtsWestchester