Jeffrey L. Nissen Arts Education & Development Fund

10/07/2026

We’re thrilled to announce Nick Puglia as Vice President of the JLN Arts Board of Directors! 🎉

Nick is a New York–based production professional with more than 15 years of experience across Broadway, immersive theatre, live events, television, and entertainment production. He currently serves as Director of Production at Emursive and continues to work on Broadway, including with Oh, Mary! and Maybe Happy Ending.

A longtime supporter of the performing arts, Nick has volunteered with Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS for more than 15 years and shares our deep commitment to mentorship, education, and creating meaningful opportunities for emerging artists.

We’re so excited to have Nick step into this leadership role as JLN Arts continues to grow, expand our partnerships, and invest in the next generation of artists. 💚

08/31/2026

Earlier this month, Spark Grant recipient Nick Eibler (Nick Eibler) brought MAN-BOY (ManBoy: a solo play by Nick Eibler) to Lavender Fest (Lavender Performing Arts FLavender Performing Arts Festivalad the chance to support MAN-BOY through our Spark Grant Program this summer, which provides emerging projects with free studio space at Open Jar Studios (Open Jar Studios) to move Open Jar Studios.

Nick used his Spark Grant time to rehearse the solo show and record voiceover material ahead of its next stage of development — and we were thrilled to see that work continue all the way to Lavender Fest this month.

One of our favorite parts of the Spark Grant Program is getting to watch what happens after artists leave the studio: the readings, workshops, productions, and new opportunities that grow out of having dedicated time and space to create.

Congratulations to Nick and the entire MAN-BOY team on this exciting milestone, and thank you to our generous donors, especially lead supporter Jack Lane (Jack Lane), for helping maJack Lane this possible. 💜

📸: Breathe ImagesBreathe Images

07/21/2026

Playwright Connor McKenna has been awarded the JLN Arts Playwriting Residency Grant to develop his new historical play JOHN MUIR'S FIRES, exploring conservation, colonialism, and Indigenous land stewardship.

07/21/2026

We're so happy to welcome playwright Connor McKenna as the recipient of our August Playwriting Residency Grant, presented in partnership with the Hudson Valley Writers Residency.

Connor will spend the month in the Hudson Valley developing his new play, JOHN MUIR'S FIRES. As he shared, he couldn't imagine "a better place" to write a piece so deeply connected to nature, and we can't wait to see what a month immersed in the woods inspires!

Welcome to the Hudson Valley, Connor! 🌲

07/18/2026

Two years ago, Ocean Walk became the very first recipient of the JLN Arts Spark Grant.

This summer, we had the privilege of seeing the play take another exciting step forward with its workshop presentation at Powerhouse Theater at Vassar College.

It’s been incredible to watch Gianfranco and Ocean Walk grow over the past two years. What began as an early-stage project has continued to evolve through Gianfranco’s dedication, curiosity, and artistry into a compelling new work, and we’re so lucky to have been there at the beginning of that journey.

Congratulations Gianfranco, as well as the remarkable team who brought this workshop to life: director Jonathon Loy, dramaturg Sam Mueller, and the outstanding cast. And thank you to everyone at Powerhouse Theater for championing new plays and creating a home where artists and their work can continue to evolve.

Gianfranco, we’re cheering you on every step of the way and can’t wait to see where Ocean Walk goes next. 💚

07/08/2026

Introducing the 2026 Recipient of our annual Arts Education Advancement Scholarship: EMMAKATE ANGELO! Emmakate is a rising senior and is pursuing a summer internship opportunity with Mosser Casting in Pittsburgh. During this experience, she will be learning more about the film industry in Pittsburgh and gaining valuable insight into the casting process. We look forward to following along and hearing more about your experiences this summer!

05/19/2026

Congratulations to the graduating seniors from this past weekend! 💚

What a gift to spend time together this spring with students and members of our local community through our On Deck program alongside the incredible . From classroom workshops to our public lecture and Q&A, the weekend was centered around connection, conversation, and creating access between working professionals and emerging artists.

Thank you to our incredibly kind donors, the support from , catering from , our guests who traveled to be with us, and the amazing team at SUNY New Paltz (s/o !) for helping make this possible.

We’re really proud to continue building arts education opportunities like this here in the Hudson Valley. 💪

04/17/2026

Next week, the incomparable Paul Canaan will spend a day in the classroom with SUNY New Paltz Theatre — culminating in a free public community lecture exploring the evolution of music theatre dance through the work of iconic choreographers, and a Q&A focused on careers in the arts.

At its core, our On Deck program is designed to connect working professionals with emerging artists — creating real access, real conversations, and meaningful pathways forward.

We hope you’ll join us next Saturday at SUNY New Paltz. Reserve your spot for the free lecture via the link below. 💚

with Paul Canaan

03/16/2026

Celebrating the incredible artists behind , the all-female rock musical by !

Earlier this year, members of the team attended the industry presentation at and were blown away by the powerful music, undeniable energy, and electrifying storytelling. 🤘🏼

Thank you for sharing this thrilling new work with us. We’re honored to be a small part of your journey. 💚

📸: 1-7

12/02/2025

We’re thrilled to announce that playwright Sarah Goeke () has been selected as the first recipient of our Playwriting Residency Grant, presented in partnership with the Hudson Valley Writers Residency ().

This fully funded month-long residency will support Sarah as she develops her adaptation of FORKED () this January. We can’t wait to see how her time in the space helps bring this new piece to life.

Welcome to the Hudson Valley, Sarah! 🌲