The upcoming Art Students League of New York Election

As we approach the election for the 2026 Board of Control of the Art Students League of New York, we want to let you know who we are and our priorities for the League.

Who we are

Our team is made up of:

Yoko Cohen, Candidate for President

Marcie Bronkar, Candidate for Vice President nominated by women

Stephen Durkee, Candidate for Vice President nominated by men

Why are we running? What do we stand for?

Our platform focuses on four key areas where we differ from other candidates

Experience

Combined ten years experience and leadership serving on the Board.

Providing oversight to ensure that the League fulfills its mission and exercises fiscal responsibility

Commitment

Devoted to the League’s mission of providing low cost/high quality art classes that all can afford in a diverse environment

Growing our atelier system- the League’s hallmark for 150 years

Community

Making students comfortable exploring, creating and sharing ideas

Welcoming all who want to grow as artists and fostering their visions

Establishing a stronger presence in the art world both in our city and beyond

Progress

Moving forward, while building on the past

Modernizing our space and protecting our architectural integrity

Safeguarding the League and its legacy to ensure it thrives for the next 150 years

Important questions about voting

What are the key dates for the Election?

The new Board will be elected after the final votes are cast at the Annual Members Meeting on Wednesday, December 17.  Members can attend and vote either online via Zoom or in person.

Electronic and paper ballots have been sent to Active Members.  The League will resend electronic ballots on December9. Members can return paper ballots and vote online at anytime after they receive the ballot.  They can also vote at the Annual Meeting.

Members can change their mind by submitting another ballot at the Annual Members Meeting. The last ballot submitted will be the only one that counts.

Who are “Active Members”

If you have paid your membership dues or are a Life Member and have attended at least one member meeting or voted in the past two years, you are an “Active Member.” Active Members will receive both a paper ballot and an email with a code for voting online. Active Members can also vote in person or via Zoom at the Annual Meeting in December.

Who are Members in Good Standing?

Other Members in Good Standing are those who are paid up in their annual dues including Life Members who are no longer charged dues.  These members can show up and vote at the December meeting online or in person. This also makes them Active Members for the next two years.

Emails from the League have provided more information.

Importance of appointed members of the Board

If you would like to serve on the Board of Control (“BoC”) and are not running in this election, consider applying for an appointed position.  

After the election, the new board appoints three members, chosen from those who sent application.  The process for sending in an application is described at: https://www.artstudentsleague.org/resources/serving-on-the-board

What does the League Board of Control do

The Board of Control is made up of 12 members including 3 officers, 3 members voted for in the current election for two-year terms, 3 members serving the second year of their term, and three appointed members.

The Constitution and By-Laws of the Art Students League gives the Board of Control ultimate authority for running the school, including the power to hire and fire the Executive Director and power to manage the budget. You can find the Art Students League Constitution and By-Laws at https://www.artstudentsleague.org/resources/league-constitution

The role of the BoC changes to meet the needs of the school.  For example, in cases where an Executive Director was not in place, BoC Members stepped in to take over key duties.

At the current time, with an Executive Director in place and a very strong senior staff, the BoC supports the director deferring operational responsibility to our professional staff. Every year the BoC approves the budget and may modify the budget during the year.  The BoC also reviews and must approve major programs and capital expenditures.

Most of the work of the BoC is done through the Board Committees, including Finance, Building, Membership, Programming, Collections, and Development plus special committees like the one focused on our 150th Anniversary.  Committees include BoC members and senior League staff.  Some may also include members who are not on the Board.

Contact us with questions or comments

We set up a special email account to allow members to communicate with us during the process. We will also be sending a limited number of emails using this address: mailto:YokoMarcieAndSteve@gmail.com