Arts Alive LI returns for a third year

Arts Alive LI returns for its third annual monthlong celebration of Long Island as a cultural hub in its own right. Never mind New York City.

"When we were getting started," says Theresa Statz-Smith, executive director of Long Island Arts Alliance, "we asked artists, 'What do you need?' And they all said, 'Marketing. People need to know we're here.' "

To that end, the Arts Alliance won a $150,000 Empire State Development grant to go along with $75,000 from Bethpage Federal Credit Union, and support from the Long Island Community Foundation and others.

Roger Tilles, a State Regent and chairman of the Arts Alliance advisory board, said, "If Long Island wasn't in the shadow of New York City, we'd be in the top five or six in the country in the arts."

If getting the word out isn't enough incentive, Arts Alliance sponsors are offering prizes. "The trick is, you have to deliver the entry form directly to the venue," Statz-Smith says. "That way, even if you don't stay for the show, you might pick up a brochure to see what's up."

Prizes include a pair of tickets to see Natalie Cole at Tilles Center Nov. 15 or The Blind Boys of Alabama at Port Washington's Landmark on Main Street Nov. 22. You could win a free family membership to the Nassau County Museum of Art, four tickets to the Long Island Aquarium in Riverhead, or next season, to Splish Splash Water Park, along with two nights at Hotel Indigo East End. Or put your name in for a commissioned surf portrait by artist Mary M. Blair.

Most Arts Month events are part of the ongoing season at such places as the Madison Theatre at Molloy College, where you can see a fully staged "La Traviata" Saturday night and Sunday afternoon. Also on Sunday, the Atlantic Wind Symphony performs a "Pops in Patchogue" concert at the Theater for the Performing Arts on Main Street and Huntington's Cinema Arts Centre presents Gustafer Yellowgold's kids show.

Garden City's Long Island Children's Museum hosts an exhibit through Oct. 31 of winning entries in the Arts Alive Poster Contest. Grand prize went to Audrey Zhang of Levittown's Island Trees Middle School. She's also the Google National Doodle Contest winner. Meanwhile, budding young artists can attend the "Draw Out!" interactive happening Sunday at Huntington's Heckscher Museum.

Coming up: Jimmy Webb and Jane Monheit in concert Oct. 11 at Landmark on Main, Betty Buckley at Bay Street Theatre in Sag Harbor Oct. 12, Rufus Wainwright at Bay Shore's Boulton Center Oct. 17, the Long Island Philharmonic at The Space at Westbury Oct. 19, the Long Island Music Hall of Fame's induction gala at The Paramount in Huntington Oct. 23, the Spanish Harlem Orchestra at Staller Center Oct. 25 and Lang Lang's "101 Pianists" at Tilles Center Oct. 26.

Anchoring Arts Month is Patchogue's PAC MAC Street Festival Oct. 17-26. "It's just the sort of destination tourism we're going for," Statz-Smith says. For a full list of events, go to artsaliveLI.org.