Photo of Simone Levinson
Simone Levinson Is Empowering the Next Generation of Artists
On a crisp February evening in Southampton, hundreds of children streamed through the doors of the Southampton Arts Center, tugging parents and grandparents behind them. They weren’t there just to look at art; they were there to find themselves on the walls.
The occasion was the launch of “First Light: Celebrating Student Artists of Southampton,” an ambitious new collaboration between Southampton Arts Center (SAC) and the Southampton School District. Running from February 7 through May 3, the inaugural exhibition showcases work from students in grades K–12 across a sweeping range of mediums—photography, 3D design, painting, ceramics, collage, multimedia, poetry and more. But the show is about more than art objects. It is about access, exposure, inspiration, engagement and visibility.
For SAC Chairperson Simone Levinson, the opening night was unforgettable.
“The opening was fabulous,” she recalls. “With hundreds of children and family members, teachers all coming together to celebrate ‘First Light.’ It was even more moving than I had imagined. To see the exuberance of these students walking through the halls and really claiming it for themselves. The pride they exuded, pointing to their works on the walls, I had to fight back tears of gratitude.”
That moment, a child seeing their own work displayed in a professional gallery setting, sits at the heart of Levinson’s vision. “There is no greater experience than a child walking into a museum and spotting their own work on the wall; this can change their life forever,” she says.
Levinson’s belief in the transformative power of the arts is deeply personal. She grew up in a home where creativity was woven into daily life. Her grandmother owned a ceramic shop. Her mother was always crafting. Levinson studied ballet in New York City and even worked as a child actress. During challenging times in her life, she found refuge in creative expression.
“The arts was an outlet for me,” she says. “Whether through writing, painting, dance, it was a way for me to process whatever was going on, the challenging or the joyful. Art gives language where sometimes words fail.”
That philosophy has guided her professional life. With a background in public education and education reform, Levinson has long championed programs that widen access to creative expression. In her 20s, after surviving a mugging, she created an arts initiative for members of the homeless community, helping them reclaim creativity as a birthright. “The common denominator with all of us is that we are born as creative beings with something to say,” she explains. “Regardless of social, economic, or racial barriers.”
At SAC, now in its 14th year, Levinson sees the institution as both “an amplifier for unsung heroes and untold stories” and “an incubator” for emerging talent. “This show does both,” she says. “We’re an incubator for the emerging talents of the students. We’re an amplifier to tell the amazing stories of the student art teachers who have been working within the school system.”
Indeed, “First Light” honors not only students but also their teachers, including Andrew DeLeo, Jennifer Charron, Pamela Collins and Justine Moody, who exhibit their own artwork alongside their pupils. The exhibition receptions feature interactive activities, refreshments and even a children’s Valentine’s Day collage workshop led by Deborah Acquino. Visitors can participate in scavenger hunts and hands-on artistic experiences that invite the broader community into the creative process.
Beyond the exhibition itself, the partnership expands SAC’s Kids Programs with additional workshops during school breaks and after school. In a powerful gesture of inclusion, SAC distributed 1,200 laminated student membership cards, one to every student in the district, granting unlimited access to the center’s exhibitions and programs.
“These are real membership cards,” Levinson says proudly. “With each child’s name. We hope they use this as they would a library card.” The response has been immediate. Workshops during school breaks are full. After-school programs are thriving.
The initiative has drawn enthusiastic support from local leaders. Southampton Mayor William Manger called the partnership a reflection of the community’s shared commitment to arts education. Nancy Caine, Director of Orchestras and Chairperson for Fine Arts in the district, praised the opportunity to showcase student creations in art, music, theater, poetry and culture. Assistant Superintendent Dr. Brian Zahn emphasized that the collaboration ensures every child has access to high-quality arts education on the East End. Superintendent Dr. Fatima Morrell expressed gratitude to Levinson and SAC’s leadership for turning a dream into reality.
Philanthropic support from Merryl and James Tisch made the program possible, an example, Levinson notes, of private sector leadership stepping in at a time when arts programs are often vulnerable to budget cuts.
“Arts are often seen as a luxury rather than a necessity,” she says. “But if you look at the data, arts education impacts attendance, academic performance and engagement. It unlocks potential.”
She frequently quotes Albert Einstein: “Everyone’s a genius. But you don’t judge a goldfish by how he climbs a tree.” For Levinson, arts education ensures that each child’s unique genius has space to emerge.
“Self-esteem doesn’t come from doing something you know you can do,” she says. “It comes from going outside your comfort zone and accomplishing something that you felt was not in your realm. That’s the creative process. It’s play. It’s risk. And when you expand yourself, self-esteem comes along with that.
In an era defined by screens and scrolling, Levinson believes tactile, communal creative experiences are more essential than ever. “Art unlocks engagement,” she says. “It connects with humans in a visceral way that unlocks human potential.”
As children continue to wander SAC’s galleries this spring, scanning the walls for their own creations, “First Light” lives up to its name. It is not just an exhibition. It is a declaration: that creativity is not an extracurricular frill, but a birthright, and that in Southampton, it begins early.