Subject: Organization Newsletter July 2023

News & Information for Arts & Cultural Organizations & Creative Businesses in Fairfield County

July 2023

CAFC NEWS

ACE AWARDS SUCCESS!


The 7th Annual Arts and Culture Empowerment (ACE) Awards were held on Wednesday, June 21 at Norwalk Shore and Country Club. With 170 arts and culture bearers in attendance and inspirational talks from nine speakers, this year was a huge success. Speakers included Michelle Lapine McCabe, Executive Director, Connecticut Main Street Center, who offered a keynote address that focuses on her own role in bringing communities together to invigorate and sustain our downtowns. In addition to Michelle, speakers included Elizabeth Shapiro, Director of Arts, Preservation and Museums (DECD) and Jason Mancini, Executive Director, Connecticut Humanities. Emcee: Tony-Award winner James Naughton. Awardees included Cris Dam, Artist Award; Vic Mulaire, The NEST Arts Factory, Citizen Award; David Genovese, Baywater Properties, Corporate Award; Jenny Nelson, Westport Country Playhouse, Educator Award; Michael Jehle, Fairfield Museum & History Centre, Nonprofit Award; Clea Newman Soderlund on behalf of Paul Newman & Joanne Woodward, President's Award. The full-length video of the event is now available at https://youtu.be/SxX2MHSUYYw

EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS:


Please join us for our annual summer social! Meet your peers and enjoy a relaxing early evening at MoCA Westport.


We'll begin our time strolling the grounds of beautiful MoCA Westport and then we'll head inside for a guided tour of MoCA's current exhibitions: Richard Tsao, "The Constant Gardner" and Sao, "Inner Landscapes." The tour will be followed by refreshments and networking.


We are very grateful for the generosity of MoCA Westport and Christian Templeman and Morgan Stanley Wealth Management for making this special event possible. We also thank Ruth Mannes, Executive Director of MoCA, for her generous offer of hospitality.


Since space is limited to a maximum of 40 people, please be sure to RSVP only if you are definitely joining us.

RSVP

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, DAVID GREEN RECEIVES ARTS HERO AWARD


On May 18th, 2023, David Green received the first ever Arts Hero Award from Robin Panovka at The Norwalk Art Space ARTS BASH. Robin described David as a "tireless supporter of the arts" and shared the story of how David influenced his decision to move forward with the Norwalk Art Space. He also thanked him for all he has done for TNAS to connect them to grants people, award opportunities, and more.

SPOTLIGHT ON ARTS & CULTURE PODCAST NOW AVAILABLE


Whether you attended the ACE Awards Breakfast or not, you might be interested in the next "Spotlight" podcast in which David Green interviewed each of the awardees about the role that community plays in their work. This year, the awards celebrated how the arts and culture is the glue for our communities, highlighting the significant role that artists and arts and cultural institutions play in connecting communities across government, businesses, nonprofit agencies, educational institutions and municipalities. This connection activates communities, offers common ground, and creates a sense of place that leads to economically and socially thriving communities. Our guests were:
• Cris Dam, Artist Award
• Vic Mulaire, The NEST Arts Factory, Citizen Award
• David Genovese, Baywater Properties, Corporate Award
• Jenny Nelson, Westport Country Playhouse, Educator Award
• Michael Jehle, Fairfield Museum & History Centre, Nonprofit Award
• Clea Newman Soderlund on behalf of Paul Newman & Joanne Woodward, President's Award

LISTEN HERE

And don't forget to LISTEN LIVE on Monday at noon when we present our July Spotlight On Arts & Culture: “Good to Great” Transforming Cultural Organizations on WPKN – 89.5 FM. We will shine a light on nine CAFC member organizations who received the "Good to Great" grant and how they will be using these grants to make capital improvements to their facilities to improve what they offer to the public. Our guests are:
• Cybele Maylone, Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, Ridgefield
• Peter Gistelinck, Avon Theatre Film Center, Stamford
• Kathy Maher, Barnum Museum, Bridgeport
• Tracy Kay, Bartlett Arboretum & Gardens, Stamford
• Howard Lasser, Brookfield Craft Center, Brookfield
• Hilary Wittmann, Carriage Barn Arts Center, New Canaan
• Clare Murray, cARTie, Shelton
• Maggie Dimock, Greenwich Historical Society, Greenwich
• Steve di Costanzo WPKN, Bridgeport

LISTEN ON JULY 10

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS

Appalachian Mountain Club is one of the oldest environmental, cultural and outdoors organization in America. The Fairfield County Group of the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) holds dinners and social events featuring films and speakers the second Tuesday of the month, ten months out of the year (Sept – June) in Westport and Bethel. Additionally, AMC leads a variety of daily and weekly, local, regional and international outings and excursions.

MEMBER NEWS

The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum has been approved for a $500,000 grant by the state of Connecticut to improve their campus. The project, which is tentatively scheduled to break ground this Fall, is made possible through the state's "Good to Great" Grant Program, enabling the museum to renovate the museum’s exterior campus and create a universally accessible landscape designed for engagement with works of art in the center of historic Ridgefield. The Aldrich will build a handicapped accessible walkway that connects to the public sidewalk on Main Street, along with making other accessibility changes to its campus. READ MORE

The Barnum Museum is pleased to announce that they have much to celebrate this month! Betsy Golden Kellem, the radio host of Barnum's radio show Showman's Shorts, received a New England Emmy for Best Performer/Narrator. The Barnum also received a "Good to Great" grant to support the historic restoration of the Barnum’s six original wood door entryways and a CHLO Award of Merit for their YouTube channel.

The Carriage Barn Arts Center was approved for their request of $124,000 for Outdoor Courtyard Enhancement & Active Arts Hub. Their "Good to Great" grant will allow them to renovate and enhance the courtyard entry to the arts center that will serve as a year-round public space for programs, performances, exhibitions, socializing and enjoyment. They also received a $7,000 grant from NCCF for general operating support for programming and $1,500 from the NC Exchange Club to support their Family Drop in Series.

Connecticut Dance School (CDS) is proud to announce that they are a 2023 Best of Fairfield Winner in the Dance Fitness Category under the Fitness + Gear section.

The Flinn Gallery is proud to announce they they are a 2023 Moffly Media Best of the Gold Coast Winner. The gallery won in the Fine Art section. Flinn Gallery is supported by Friends of Greenwich Library.

Heather Gaudio Fine Art announces a new location in Greenwich, CT, opening Summer 2023. For over a decade, HGFA has served as a primary contemporary fine art destination for New Canaan, CT, and its surrounding communities. Over the years the gallery program, its roster of artists and client base has grown beyond expectations. They are grateful for their loyal following and support from our collectors, particularly those in the New Canaan community.

The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk announced that it raised over $200,000 at its 12th annual Golf Classic held on May 22 to support its resident animals, conservation efforts and educational programming. The event started with lunch and a call to the carts by The RoyalPiper Al Gonzales. Following the day of golf, a dinner was held overlooking the course with animal encounters and live music from members of the Norwalk Symphony Orchestra. The tournament was attended by 93 players. The tournament’s presenting sponsor was M&T Bank | Wilmington Trust. Fairfield County Bank; Clay Fowler and Spinnaker Real Estate Partners, LLC; and Earl Mix and New Canaan Funding were tournament sponsors.

MoCA Westport has created a new role that will bring theater, dance and music programming to children and adults. Kristen Young, the former music associate for the museum, has been named MoCA's first director of performing arts. She will now curate performing arts experiences, regional music program collaborations and music education events. Her appointment comes as the museum creates a performing arts committee and renovates a 7,000-square-foot gallery for this kind of programming. The goal is to create an artistic epicenter at MoCA in the visual arts, performing arts, education, outreach and community. READ MORE

Stamford Downtown is hosting free professional performances celebrating cultures around the world at Mill River Park on the Alive at Five Stage on Wed July 19th and 26th. Live performances will be shared by Portal Norteno Peruvian Dance School Pureqkuna Ecuadorian Dance Group, Ballet School of Stamford and Thomas Oritiz Dance to name a few.

Westport Country Playhouse has announced its plan to transform and save the historic theater. The comprehensive transformation plan includes $2 million fundraising appeal, a broad range of live performances, and a more sustainable cost structure to ensure that the historic theater is able to continue to operate and overcome recent financial challenges. The transformation plan is entitled “Reimagined: Save Your Playhouse.” Beginning this September and ramping up to full speed by early 2024, the Playhouse will present live performances including curated one-night-only shows featuring celebrities and top talent from the worlds of theater, comedy, music, and dance; a continuation of the popular Script in Hand play reading series; and a speaker series, “In Conversation with…,” providing access to creators, business leaders, artists, athletes, philanthropists, and influencers in an intimate setting. The Playhouse is also celebrating its 92nd birthday!

Westport Museum for History & Culture brings its first student-curated exhibit of stories of Westport in the Civil War. The exhibit was the culmination of a semester-long process of research, planning, writing and rewriting. Talia Moskowitz, a Staples High School rising senior and the curator presents her exhibit called "Reluctant Liberators: Westport in the Civil War." as a way to show Westport residents and beyond a part "of the town's history that has gone unnoticed for so long." On view through Novemeber 11th and is free to the public. READ MORE

OTHER NEWS

STRATFORD MAYOR WANTS BLACK BOX THEATER, MUSIC PAVILION, AND FOOD TRUCK PARK FOR SHAKESPEARE SITE


An open-air food court, a music pavilion and a minimalistic black box theater are all part of Mayor Laura Hoydick’s proposed redevelopment of the old American Shakespeare Theater Site. Hoydick unveiled the estimated $11.5 million project during a recent special meeting of the Town Council, more than four years after arsonists burned the historic venue off Elm Street to the ground. The proposal was developed after town residents urged officials to maintain much of the riverside site’s open space while also incorporating arts venues to replace the destroyed 1,500-seat theater. The town gathered the feedback through a series of surveys and of those polled online, 57 % recommended building an arts facility or small theater on the property.

READ MORE

CT VISIT PROMOTION OPPORTUNITIES


The Office of Tourism is implementing a special push via PR, social media and content marketing to more heavily promote Connecticut’s vibrant arts, culture, and theater scene. The appeal is to help them help you fill your seats, galleries, events, and more by doing two things: 1) list events on CTvisit.com, which gets millions of site visitors and 2) Tell them about your most important shows and events for the rest of 2023. Let them know if you created this experience with a particular audience in mind. Send them interesting photos of the venue and of the performer(s) in action so we can include them on the website and on social media.

LEARN MORE

NOMINATIONS OPEN FOR IMLS NATIONAL MEDAL


Submissions for 2024 National Medal Honoring Libraries and Museums that are teaching skills, expanding access, and making connections are due by September 1st. The National Medal for Museum and Library Service recognizes the Excellent Community Service of Museums and Libraries, and is the highest honor awarded to museums and libraries. Members of the public, board members, volunteers, or government officials are welcome to nominate an institution.The IMLS National Medal celebrates libraries and museums that are making a difference for individuals, families, and communities across the country.

LEARN MORE

"GOOD TO GREAT" RECIPIENTS ANNOUNCED


Ned Lamont announced 34 organizations in the state who were awarded a "Good To Great" Grant from CT Humanities and the State of Connecticut. Nine of the awards went to CAFC members!

  • Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum (Ridgefield): $500,000 to implement an ambitious and significant renovation of the museum’s exterior campus – creating a beautiful, universally accessible landscape designed for engagement with works of art in the center of historic Ridgefield.

  • Avon Theatre Film Center (Stamford): $500,000 to reconfigure their existing layout to create a smaller more intimate auditorium that will be utilized for film-making classes, poetry slams, niche films, and other activities.

  • Barnum Museum (Bridgeport): $181,953 to support the historic restoration of the Barnum’s six original wood door entryways that are characteristic of the iconic 1893 building.

  • Bartlett Arboretum & Gardens (Stamford): $500,000 to replace their greenhouse with a modern, state-of-the-art greenhouse, which will be used to create and host a wide range of exhibits and programming.

  • Brookfield Craft Center, Inc. (Brookfield): $49,900 to purchase upgraded equipment that will allow them to advance their offerings and attract the next level of craft students and artists.

  • Carriage Barn Arts Center (New Canaan): $128,000 to renovate and enhance the courtyard entry to the Carriage Barn Arts Center that will serve as a year-round public space for programs, performances, exhibitions, socializing and enjoyment.

  • cARTie (Shelton): $40,000 to audit their space from the perspectives of ADA compliance, ASD support, and Human-Centered Design, then operationalize recommendations to build out all necessary adjustments.

  • Greenwich Historical Society (Greenwich): $418,057 for the Bush-Holley House Preservation and Environmental Upgrade project, which will provide critical and timely environmental upgrades to protect this 18th-century National Historic Landmark and its collections.

  • WPKN (Bridgeport): $85,900 for WPKN SoundMobile: Radio On Wheels, which will create the radio station’s expansion onto the streets and into the community with an all-electric radio station van that will develop new means of sharing the rich, historical musical culture and oral history of Connecticut residents.


Don't forget to LISTEN LIVE on Monday at noon when we present our July Spotlight On Arts & Culture: “Good to Great” Transforming Cultural Organizations on WPKN FM.

READ MORE
LISTEN LIVE ON 7/10

FUNDING

Managing Director

TheaterWorks | Hartford


Communications Manager

CT Humanities | Middletown


Project Manager

AMS Planning & Research Inc


Director of Artistic Operations

Hartford Symphony Orchestra | Hartford


Director of Museum Experience

New Haven Museum


Social Media Curator

Ridgefield Playhouse


Grant Coordinator

Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation | Stamford


Managing Director

Shakespeare on the Sound | Norwalk


Community Engagement Coordinator

Sterling House Community Center | Stratford


Gallery Rep

Flinn Gallery | Greenwich


Librarian

Fairfield Museum and History Center | Fairfield


Assistant Director

Museum of Darien | Darien


Manager of Communications

INTEMPO | Stamford


Box Office Supervisor

Westport Country Playhouse | Westport


PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

 
 

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The Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County is a nonprofit membership service organization that supports its members through marketing, capacity building, professional development, networking, and advocacy services. This newsletter is sent to all who request it, but we ask that, if you are not a member, you explore membership benefits and consider joining.

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The Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County is a 501(c)(3) cultural nonprofit membership organization. We are grateful to our members and our donors whose support enables us to do our work. In particular, we are grateful for support from:

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Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County, Gate Lodge at Mathews Park, 301 West Avenue, Norwalk, CT 06850, United States

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