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News and Opportunities for the Cultural Nonprofits and Creative Services of Fairfield County, CT |
| | | | The Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County is a nonprofit membership service organization that supports its members through unified marketing, capacity building, professional development, 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. Find out more and sign up here. |
| All links in green link to pages on our website |
| | | | FEBRUARY SPOTLIGHT + GM REPORT INTERVIEW WITH CLAUDE DESIR JR NOW AVAILABLE AS PODCASTS: |
| | Two of David Green's WPKN 89.5 FM Interviews regarding Black History Month are now available as podcasts. First, the February Spotlight on Arts & Culture interview with representatives from six organizations speaking about Black History Month events and the importance of "Going Beyond Black History Month," is available here. Then, David's guest interview on the GM Report with Claude Desir Jr about his exhibition at City Lights Gallery, "sometimes i feel like I'm not really here," is available here. Hear all past podcasts...
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| | LAST DAY TO COMPLETE COVID IMPACT SURVEY: FEBRUARY 19
Please take our COVID-19 Impact Survey - an effort we are conducting along with our statewide peer organizations to take a unified measure of the impact of the pandemic on our entire cultural community. Thank you to those who have responded to date. Please, everyone else, click here and take this short survey. It will help update and assess the total 2020 economic, job and audience/ participant impact of COVID-19. Results of the survey will be shared with legislators, municipal leaders, community members, funders and more. Your input is vital! Take the survey here. Thank you! Survey conducted in partnership with: Arts & Culture Collaborative (Waterbury Region), Arts Council of Greater New Haven, Cultural Alliance of Western Connecticut, Greater Hartford Arts Council, Northwest CT Arts Council, Shoreline Arts Alliance, and Southeastern CT Cultural Coalition. |
| | KEEP US IN MIND ON GIVING DAY |
| SAVE THE DATE: Fairfield County's Giving Day is Thurs. Feb. 25. Please consider donating and sharing with friends. |
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| | | | The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum announced the publication of an 80-page, fully-illustrated catalog highlighting the exhibition "Genesis Belanger: Through the Eye of a Needle." This is the artist's first museum publication, featuring an essay by the exhibition's curator, Amy Smith-Stewart. Through the Eye of a Needle is the first major solo museum exhibition of New York-based artist Genesis Belanger (b. 1978), whose practice spans sculptures and tableaux, primarily composed out of porcelain, stoneware, and upholstery. Debuting an entirely new body of work specially conceived for The Aldrich, Belanger will create her largest and most elaborate mise-en-scène to date. On view through May 9, 2021. |
| | | The Avon Theatre Film Center was recently featured in the Stamford Advocate for its ability to manage the pandemic and remain open to patrons. The historic film center has put into place fastidious safety protocols to make sure everyone can sit back and enjoy the show," according to Executive Director Stuart Adelberg. "We’re staying at it because it’s our mission. We think movies need to be shown on the screens they were made to be shown on.” To that end, the nonprofit theater instituted a safety plan that exceeds the state of Connecticut and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations when it reopened in mid-2020. Though the theatre is allowed to have 50 percent capacity, Adelberg lessened that to 40 percent. There is plexiglass everywhere and every other row is off limits and the theater requires at least three empty seats between groups. The Avon also hosts virtual programing. |
| | The Fairfield University Art Museum's exhibit Birds of the Northeast: Gulls to Great Auks, curated by FUAM executve director, Carey Weber, received a glowing review in the Wall Street Journal. In "Top-Flight Form," the Feb. 10 review by Laura Jacobs, refers to a couple of "Ms. Weber's coups." The first was a loan from Art Bridges of a Marsden Hartley 1938 painting "Give Us This Day,” and the second a set of 12 plates of Audubon prints reworked by Matthew Day Jackson to give a modern edge. Together they emphasize the theme of the two-room exhibit: "The first room embraces birds that continue to brighten our hours; the second, the lost creatures that haunt our hearts." The exhibit is online; the review is here.
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| | | The First Presbyterian Church of Stamford ("Fish Church"), designed by legendary architect Wallace K. Harrison (Rockefeller Center, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, etc), and dedicated in 1958, has been named a National Historic Landmark by the National Park Service. Internationally acclaimed as a masterpiece of modern art and architecture, the church was inspired by the 13th century Sainte-Chappelle chapel in Paris. A press conference was held Thur. Feb. 18. See CT TV12 coverage here and a press release here. |
| | | INTEMPO was invited to present its work in culturally-responsive pedagogy, intercultural repetoire and virtual programing at the El Sistema USA's National Symposium this week. The Symosium focuses on How to Create Inclusive, Culturally Responsive Virtual Gatherings. In addition, INTEMPO received a $5,000 grant from CT Humanities and the Connecticut Office of the Arts, who partnered to offer relief funding to cultural organizations that continued to provide arts and humanities programs and services while facing financial hardship resulting from COVID-19. These organizations demonstrated their commitment to advancing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) work in their mission and operations, and commitment to the Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) community. |
| | Stamford Symphony and Concordia Conservatory have collaborated for a new "Unique Series," created for childhood and elementary learners with special needs and their families. Saturday morning concerts are 30 minutes long and tailored by age group. The series debuted February 6 with a program for elementary-age audiences and continues on Saturday, May 1 for middle and high school-age audiences. Read more...
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| | Congratulations to Fairfield University’s Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts for receiving a $300K Mellon Foundation Grant in support of acclaimed dance artist, nora chipaumire. The award was made in response to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and will fund a three-month “bubble” residency for nora chipaumire and company to create their latest choreographic work, NEHANDA, at the Quick Center. During this new “bubble” residency, stringent safety protocols will protect the artists and community members through testing, temperature checks, and health surveys, while ensuring safe studio and theatre space for nora chipaurmire and the artistic team to work as artists-in-residence at the Quick Center. Read more...
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| | | | WSHU GENERAL MANAGER RETIRES; A. RIMA DAEL NAMED SUCCESSOR
George J. Lombardi, long-time general manager of WSHU Public Radio, based in Fairfield and owned by Sacred Heart University, has retired, ending his 44-year tenure with the station. He has been succeeded by A. Rima Dael, a development and management executive with over 25 years of experience with nonprofit organizations in the public media, arts and education sectors. George was first hired to serve as a part-time radio engineer at WSHU. But as his interest grew, so did his singular vision. Under George’s leadership, the station evolved from a student-run radio station into an NPR member station with an Edward R. Murrow Award-winning regional news team and a steadfast commitment to classical music. What began as the single 91.1 FM frequency grew into an operation broadcasting on 13 frequencies and serving listeners in Fairfield and New Haven Counties, the entire Connecticut shoreline, Suffolk County on Long Island and beyond. Read Full Article...
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| | SAFETY FIRST: MUSEUM VISITORS EXPECT BETTER MASK ENFORCEMENT
As the coronavirus rages on, mask requirements are becoming increasingly commonplace across the nation. When it comes to cultural organization visitors, mandatory mask requirements remain the top thing people say will make them feel safe attending. But just putting up a “mask required” sign or checking as people walk in isn’t enough. Not by a long shot. Visitors expect frontline staff to speak up, act, and enforce mask mandates and social distancing requirements onsite – and are notably upset when they don’t. If you follow Colleen Dilenschneider's, Know your own Bone, you already know how deeply important personal interactions are for a positive onsite experience. Even brief encounters with friendly, helpful staff have the power to skyrocket visitor satisfaction – a metric that correlates with the likelihood both to endorse an organization and to foster repeat visitation. But a single interaction with a rude, inattentive, or unprofessional staff member can similarly break the visitor experience. Read Full Article...
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| | BRIDGEPORT'S HISTORY IS BLACK THE AAEA: ORAL HISTORY PROJECT
From 1982-1983, Bridgeport’s Afro-American Educators’ Association conducted interviews with Black residents of Bridgeport as part of a project funded by a grant from Connecticut Humanities. The project aimed to examine the social and economic impacts on Bridgeport’s African American residents during World War I, the Depression, World War II, and the 1960s. Transcripts are now available as part of the Connecticut Digital Archive and the Bridgeport History Center is working to recover the audio. By means of interviews, archivists investigated the social and economic effects of each period on Black Bridgeporters, attempting to explore how their families, friends, and neighbors were affected during those turbulent times. They discovered the changes that occurred on their jobs, in their neighborhoods and in the city as a whole. Explore the Archives... |
| | GREEN TRENDS IN MUSEUM RETAIL
As a seamless extension of the museum experience and a culmination of the exhibitions on view, the museum store is uniquely poised to reinforce an institution’s mission and values. For many, increasingly, this includes sustainability. In 2021, the topics of environmental responsibility and climate justice will see growing attention, as the Biden administration plans to prioritize them with steps like re-entering the Paris Agreement. This may lead to heightened scrutiny from consumers about sustainability. In fact, research shows that many Millennial and Gen Z buyers already consider a brand’s effort toward sustainability a prerequisite for making a purchase, and are willing to pay more for it.. Read AAM Article...
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| | | | SHUTTERED VENUE OPERATORS GRANT UPDATES
The Small Business Administration (SBA) posted a major development to its website today, Friday, confirming that lost “Earned Revenue” will be the measurement in determining which Priority Period an organization qualifies for in awarding Shuttered Venue Grants. This is welcome news to the nonprofit performing and presenting arts community because they will not be required to include their contributed revenue in the calculation to determine if they had at least a 90%, 70% or 25% revenue loss between April 2020 through December 2020, in comparison to 2019. None of the federal CARES Act funds need to be included in the revenue calculations either.. Learn more here. The most recently updated (Feb. 12) FAQ is here |
| | CT HISTORY DAY SEEKS VOLUNTEER JUDGES
Connecticut History Day will be hosting all Regional Contests and State Contest virtually this year, and registration is now open. Judges are needed in regions throughout the state, including Fairfield. Connecticut History Day is one of 58 affiliate programs of National History Day (NHD). CHD that annually engages over 4,000 middle- and high-school students in historical research, interpretation, and creative expression through project based learning. The program seeks to bring students, teachers, museums, and scholars together to support young people as they engage in history. Deadline for Judge sign up: February 19, 2021. Learn more here. |
| | CT CENTER FOR THE BOOK CALL FOR AUTHORS & ILLLUSTRATORS
CT Center for the Book, a CTHumanities Program, is now accepting submissions for the 2021 Connecticut Book Awards, recognizing the best books by authors and illustrators from Connecticut or books about Connecticut. Categories include: Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, and Books for Young Readers broken into three subcategories: Picture Books, Fiction, and Nonfiction. A special category called the Bruce Fraser Spirit of Connecticut Award is in memory of longtime director Bruce Fraser and celebrates Connecticut’s sense of place. Entry fees start at $40 for a 2,000-copy-or-less print run. Submissions will be accepted through April 30, 2021. Learn more here. |
| | | | GET TO KNOW STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE FEBRUARY 25
Join a free, online webinar via Zoom, open to municipal leaders, planners, economic development professionals, nonprofits and community members. The State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) administers a range of federal and state programs that identify, register and protect the buildings, sites, structures, districts and objects that comprise Connecticut's cultural heritage. It seeks new opportunities for collaboration on restoration and community vitalization. Hear about grant opportunities, tax credits, economic development and resources available. Register here... |
| | HOW LIBRARY-ARCHIVES SHIFT TO VIRTUAL & REMOTE SERVICES MARCH 2
Join the New England Museum Association for a free webinar. Libraries and archives traditionally provide in-person services to their researchers and patrons. The advent of the internet and digitization more recently improved accessibility via remote access, but that expanded access may sometimes be limited to varying extents. Then the pandemic hit in early 2020. Many if not most heritage institutions were forced to close their doors for the sake of health and safety. Those closures forced institutions to not only rely more heavily on already present remote services, but also reinvent such services. Join Head of Readers' Services Kim Toney of the American Antiquarian Society andLibrary Assistant Jeffrey Henry of the Reuben Hoar Library (Library & Archives PAG Chair) for a discussion of what their respective organizations are doing to provide remote and virtual access, followed by a casual discussion with all those in attendance. Register here... |
| | CARING FOR MUSEUM COLLECTIONS: ONLINE COURSE MARCH 22-MAY 16
This eight-week course, sponsored by the American Association for State and Local History, will deal with the physical care and preservation of your museum collections. This practical course will cover how collections age and deteriorate, handling collections, storage requirements, environmental considerations, housekeeping, and risk management. Each week of this course contains a narrative discussion of a topic in the form of Lessons. The lessons and web-based readings, combined with your professional experiences, will provide you with a grounding in the week’s topic. Participants must have access to an archives. Register here... |
| | #AAM2021 VIRTUAL ANNUAL MEETING & MUSEUMEXPO: REGISTRATION NOW OPEN
The AAM Annual Meeting & MuseumExpo brings together museums of all types and sizes—from art and history museums to zoos and botanic gardens—to share ideas and make connections that are transformative. It’s a place where all museum professionals learn from one another, create partnerships, and leave inspired to make an impact on their museums, communities, and the world. The 2021 AAM Annual Meeting & MuseumExpo is taking place virtually May 24 and June 7-9. Registration for #AAM2021 is now open. Scholarships are also available. Learn more...
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| | | | BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT & COMMUNICATIONS INTEMPO
Passionate about Youth Development and the Arts? Want to make music and cultures relevant, accessible, and inclusive? Apply to become a candidate for the Business Relations and Communications Associate at an award-winning Stamford-based organization. Founded in 2011, INTEMPO is a Stamford, CT-based non-profit arts education and youth-development organization whose mission is to make music education relevant, accessible, and inclusive through the use of classical and cross-cultural instruments and repertoire. INTEMPO aims to create a more inclusive community though the arts and youth-leadership. See full job descriptions... |
| | MARITIME AQUARIUM GRANT WRITER CONSULTANT
The Grant Writer will report to the Director of Development and work with relevant Program Staff, in the conceptualization, stewardship, and writing of grant proposals and reports for institutional audiences such as private and public foundations, corporate partners, and government agencies. Additional opportunities may include the development of donor-facing collateral, such as case statements, talking points, speeches, video scripts, mass market outreach materials, etc. The Grant Writer requires strong writing and editing skills, knowledge of fundraising, and attention to detail; in addition, it requires an ability to translate complex scientific concepts into language suited for a varied donor audience. Full job description... |
| | LIBRARY DIRECTOR MARK TWAIN LIBRARY
The Mark Twain Library was founded in 1908 by Mark Twain, American author, humorist, lecturer – and one of Redding’s most celebrated residents – with books from his own collection and funds he personally helped to raise. Reporting directly to the Board of Trustees and working closely with various committees, the Library Director is responsible for overall management of the Library’s 16 full- and part-time employees, its services, and its facility to ensure that it effectively meets the cultural, informational, and social needs of the community. In addition, the Library Director develops and implements Library operational policies, builds and is responsible for the nearly $1M annual budget, and leads and supports development and fundraising initiatives. The Library Director should be a leader in both current and future services and trends. See full job description... |
| | MANAGER OF SCHOOL SERVICES/ADULT PROGRAMS NEW BRITAIN MUSEUM OF ART
The New Britain Museum of American Art seeks candidates for the position of Manager of School Services and Adult Tour Programs. This position works collaboratively with Museum staff, docents, and volunteers to support the interpretation of the permanent collection and special exhibitions through Pre-K-college school programming. Key areas of responsibility include the implementation, refinement, and expansion of the Museum’s school programs, educator workshops, and program evaluation, as well as the docent training to support these services. Qualifications include professional experience working in education, art education, or museums, and/or B.A. in Art Education, Museum Studies, Humanities, Art History. Full job description... |
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MEMBERS: If you have an open position, be sure to post in our CLASSIFIEDS! |
| | FOR JOBS, FOR SALE, FOR RENT, VOLUNTEERS, AND CALLS FOR ARTISTS - CONSULT AND POST IN OUR CLASSIFIEDS |
| | | FEBRUARY Feb. 25: State Historic Preservation Office - Webinar MARCH
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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. Donations are always very welcome and may be made here. In particular, we are grateful for support from: |
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