Jamee and Peter Gregory Are Guests of Honor at Annual SummerFest in Southampton Village

The Southampton Arts Center, nestled in the heart of the village on Jobs Lane, has been one of the leaders in the rich and ever-growing arts and culture district in Southampton.

The nonprofit’s mission is all about “community building through the arts,” and, to that end, it has been focused on producing “inspiring, inclusive, socially and regionally relevant programs across all disciplines” to the East End, according to its mission statement.

The work, collaboration and dedication of several devoted volunteers and community members have made that mission possible, and this year, SAC will honor two of those individuals at its ninth annual SummerFest Gala, set for Saturday, August 17, on the grounds of SAC at 25 Jobs Lane.

The party, which kicks off at 6 p.m. and runs until 10:30 p.m., starts off with a cocktail reception and performance from a quartet from The Mannes School of Music, and features tastings from a selection of East End restaurants, followed by a seated dinner by Aqualina, and a highly touted “surprise” live performance.

Jamee and Peter Gregory are this year’s honorees, and will be presented with the Champion of the Arts Award in recognition of their leadership in the Southampton community and their dedication to SAC. Co-chairs for the event will include Audrey and Martin Gruss, Karen and Richard LeFrak, Simone and David Levinson and Hilary and Wilbur Ross.

This year’s SummerFest takes place during the Couples Squared exhibition, which will be guest curated by Phyllis Tuchman and on view from July 27 through September 14. The exhibition focuses on couples past and present including husbands and wives and partners, who inspire one another.

Proceeds from the gala allow SAC to provide four world-class exhibitions and 150 programs annually.

The Gregories spoke last week about being chosen as the honorees, what SAC has meant to them and why they consider it such a worthy cause to support.

“What we love about the event itself is that it really brings together the whole Southampton community,” Jamee Gregory said, smiling broadly, her enthusiasm palpable as she discussed SAC and the SummerFest party in particular. She said she loves seeing people from all walks of life at the event, from local coaches and teachers to summer residents and everyone in between.

“SAC has really become a focal point of our village,” she added.

Her husband, Peter Gregory, marveled at how much SAC and the main party that supports it has grown over the years.

“I’ve been involved for awhile now, and it started off with this little party of around 50 people, and now it’s grown into this wonderful party with great music,” he said.

It’s part of what they see as an overall glow-up for the village when it comes to its arts and cultural vibrancy.

“Ten years ago or more, the [Parrish Art Museum] left, and you walked by this empty hall in the middle of town, and it was so sad and run down, and there was nothing going on,” Peter Gregory said. “Now, there are so many things going on, from photographic exhibits to art exhibits, to movies in the garden, children’s puppet theater, mahjong and bridge lessons. Now the main problem has been finding empty spaces in the schedule.”

He said the SAC has brought a “dynamism” to the village in terms of arts and cultural offerings.

“Now, every week you get a list of events and one is more interesting than another,” he said.

The couple have had a home in Southampton for years, but like many others, decided to make it their full-time residence during the pandemic, and have never looked back.

“After spending two winters here, we fell in love and decided we wanted to be Southampton residents and spend the majority of our days here,” Jamee Gregory said. “We both felt that since we were involved with a lot of cultural things in New York City, what can we do to make life more exciting around here all year? The SAC has really burst into the arena and offered incredible theatrical performances and all kinds of magical things during the whole year.”

They both eagerly rattled off a list of events they were looking forward to: a book event with popular author, podcaster and book publisher Zibby Owens; various art exhibits, including the couples exhibition; a guest appearance by former U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross, a Southampton resident. They pointed out that SAC hosted an outdoor movie night in the garden, showing the classic “Jaws.”

It’s obvious why the Gregories were chosen as this year’s honorees. Their enthusiasm for what the SAC offers is obvious, and they are big cheerleaders and great ambassadors for the nonprofit. That kind of support is essential to the organization’s continued growth and presence in the community.

“Everyone in the community should go online and see the calendar,” Jamee Gregory said. “There are so many events.”

“I think still, today, a majority of the community doesn’t know what’s going on at SAC,” Peter Gregory chimed in. “SummerFest really brings it to people’s attention.”

“We’ve made an effort to try to bring new people to SummerFest who might not have been there before,” Jamee Gregory said. “The more people who come, and the more they see, the more likely they are to come back.”

They’re thrilled to see increased community engagement in the arts since the start of the pandemic, and want to make sure they capitalize on that momentum.

“It’s so wonderful to see the village blossoming,” Jamee Gregory said. “I’ve been here over 50 years, and my husband grew up in East Hampton. We’ve just seen this transformation. We’ve loved Southampton in all its incarnations, but right now it is really special.”

Peter Gregory gave credit to Simone Levinson, a founding co-chair of the SAC board, for having the vision for what the space could be.

“I feel that the SAC is really at the beginning of a big move,” Peter Gregory said. “And becoming more and more a part of the community. I think it’s an interesting time to be involved with it. And I think it’s amazing what one person can do. It was Simone Levinson who looked at an empty building and decided, I’m going to do something with it.”

“Good energy is contagious,” Jamee Gregory added. “And we’re trying to continue that.