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WORLDS LARGEST ANNUAL MUSIC EVENT MAKES CONNECTICUT DEBUT ON JUNE 21

The first annual Make Music Connecticut , a wild and wonderful mix of over 250 free outdoor musical events, will make its debut on Thursday, June 21.

Make Music Connecticut is part of Make Music Day , a global music celebration that takes place on the summer solstice each year and brings people of all ages and skill levels together to make music. This year, more than 70 U.S. cities and the entire state of Connecticut will host thousands of Make Music performances across the country as part of the world’s largest annual music event.

Any musician, amateur or professional, young or old, is invited to take part by signing up at MakeMusicCT.org . Registration closes on May 21, 2018 . Connecticut businesses, buildings, schools, churches, and other institutions can visit the website to offer their outdoor spaces as concert locations.

“Investing in a day that celebrates the diversity of our music and musicians across the State reaffirms the role that music plays to connect us across languages, borders, and backgrounds,” says Kristina Newman Scott, Director of Culture for the State of Connecticut, “This day truly honors the musician within us all.”  

Highlights of Make Music Connecticut will include:

  • Community Jam Session in State House Square, The Greater Hartford Arts Council’s Art on the Streets House Band welcomes downtown residents and workers to join them for a jam session in State House Square between 11:30am – 1:30pm on June 21st. Bring your instrument and sit in with the band on your lunch break or just stop by to enjoy music made by the community.
  • Northwest Connecticut Art’s Council Presents Thomasina Levy, former CT State Troubadour as well as internationally recognized mountain dulcimer player, singer, and song writer, will weave together the best of traditional and contemporary folk music.
  • The Arts Council of Greater New Haven introduces us to Trap Yoga with Thema Graves - Vinyasa style yoga coupled with a live DJ pumpin' Trap Music beats at several outdoor locations. Bring your mat to align your mind, body, and spirit, while getting it in and having fun!
  • Join Middletown Commission on The Arts in Clara’s Journey: Why our Piano goes to the Woods. Learn how the piano at The Russell Library, named after Clara Schumann, has a summer adventure in the woods. Come enjoy her music and story with Mara Bennett, Noyes dancer, and Carolyn Halstead. 
  • Artreach, Inc. is working with the Town of Sprague, First Selectman Catherine Osten and the Southeastern Connecticut Cultural Coalition to host a day of performances at Sprague River Park with alternating concerts and audience participation events, including a drumming circle and songwriter showcases.
  • The Bridgeport Art Trail is bringing an eclectic mix of free-opportunities to make and enjoy music, including lunch-time music in public spaces like the Broad St steps, an open-mic evening at McLevy Green and live performances and interviews broadcast from WPKN radio, 89.5 FM.
  • Fairfield Theatre Company will host a day-long battle of the bands-style music festival in The Warehouse and the FTC parking lot. Live music all day including food trucks and local vendors! 
  • Musicians of every kind will fill the parks and sidewalk cafés throughout Stamford Downtown for a day of music celebration.
  • Join Windham Arts in their music and community celebration, happening in Downtown Willimantic. The Third Thursday Street Fests started in 2002 and they have grown into a major regional event from May to September every year.
  • Waterbury is planning a fun-filled day with musicians showcasing their creative talents on street corners, sidewalks and plazas throughout its historic downtown.

A full schedule of events will be posted at MakeMusicCT.org on June 1, 2018.

About Make Music Day
Held annually on June 21, Make Music Day is part of the international Fête de la Musique , taking place in 800 cities across 120 countries. The daylong, musical free-for-all celebrates music in all its forms, encouraging people to band together and play in free public concerts. This year, 70+ U.S. cities are organizing Make Music celebrations, encompassing thousands of music making opportunities nationwide. Make Music Day is presented by the NAMM Foundation and coordinated by the nonprofit Make Music Alliance. For more information, please visit www.makemusicday.org .

Questions:
Contact Adriane Jefferson at 860-500-2328 or via  email .
2018 CONNECTICUT ARTS DAY
WEDNESDAY APRIL 25, 2018

The third annual  Connecticut Arts Day 2018  will take place on April 25, 2018!

Connecticut Arts Day celebrates Connecticut’s investment in and support of the arts and reaffirms the significant role the arts play in our state.  The day will include performances, panel discussions, presentations, workshops, networking opportunities and the presentation of the Connecticut Arts Hero Awards. The theme for 2018 is Resiliency! 

Connecticut Arts Day 2018  will be held at Hartford Stage , Upward Hartford and Hartford Hilton . Stay tuned for more details!

NOMINATE AN ARTS HERO!

The Arts Hero Awards honor Connecticut residents who are doing extraordinary things in, for or through the arts. The 2018 Connecticut Arts Hero Awards theme is RESILIENCY!

Resilience  is that ineffable quality that allows people to recover from setbacks, adapt well to change and to keep going in the face of adversity. 

Do you know a special some one - a HERO - who is resilient and is doing extraordinary things in, for or through the arts in their community? If yes, please nominate them for a 2018 Arts Hero Award! You can do so by completing the nomination form . The deadline to submit a nomination is Friday, March 23, 2018.

The 2018 Arts Hero Awards will be presented on Wednesday, April 25, 2018 as part of Connecticut Arts Day 2018!
The Arts Workforce Initiative: Now Accepting Applications
for Internships and Host Organizations!

The Arts Workforce Initiative (AWI) provides internship opportunities for Connecticut college students, emerging professionals and military veterans at Connecticut not-for-profit arts and cultural organizations . Twenty-eight (28) individuals will be placed with selected host organizations for a ten-week, paid internship starting June 4, 2018 through August 17, 2018.

To be eligible for an  AWI Internship  ,  individuals  must:

  • Be a Connecticut resident 
  • Demonstrate a financial need 
  • Align with COA’s READI Framework 
  • Have availability to successfully complete the program: June 4, 2018 through August 17, 2018
  • Specialize in or wish to grow professionally in the following categories: arts administration, arts presenting/curating, media arts, performing arts, visual arts, arts education, and literary arts
  • Be enrolled in an accredited college or university OR be an emerging arts professional (for the "40 and Under" Category)
  • Be a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces (for the "Veterans in the Arts" Category)

Applications must be received no later than  midnight Sunday, April 8, 2018 .


To be eligible as an  AWI Host Organization  , an  organization  must:

  • Be a not-for-profit Connecticut arts/cultural organization

  • Be able to provide an internship opportunity within the following categories:  arts administration, arts presenting/curating, media arts, performing arts, visual arts, arts education, and literary arts

  • Be able to provide a hands-on and engaging internship opportunity 


  • Be able to accommodate an intern or interns from June 4, 2018 through August 17, 2018

  • Be committed to ensuring that the intern or interns complete(s) the required 250 hours


Applications must be received no later than  midnight Sunday, April 8, 2018 .


Important Information:
  • The internship is for 25 hours per week for 10 weeks.
  • Selected host organizations will be granted $3,750 per intern and will pay the intern at the rate of $15 per hour. 
  • Interns will receive payment from the host organization where their internship will take place.
  • The internship must take place from June 4, 2018 through August 17, 2018. 

Reporting Requirements for Interns:
Interns will be required to submit a monthly report of their internship experience, including their work duties and internship milestones. All interns must have at least one (1) in-person check-in and at least one (1) monthly phone call with a COA staff member. In addition, interns will be required to attend a professional development session provided by COA during their AWI internship. 

Reporting Requirements for Host Organizations:
An AWI Host Organization will be required to submit a n arrative explaining the duties and projects that the intern completed, a work schedule/timesheet that will serve as documentation that the intern completed the required 250 hours, a financial summary showing payment to intern, and supplemental documentation. 

Questions:
Contact Adriane Jefferson at 860-500-2328 or via  email .

Due to the enormous success of the AWI pilot program in FY17, COA has committed to expanding the Arts Workforce Initiative in 2018. The number of interns has more than doubled from 12 to 28 and the application process is now open to all Connecticut not-for-profit arts and cultural organizations that can provide a hands-on and engaging internship opportunity in the arts.

Last year, during the pilot phase of the Arts Workforce Initiative, twelve (12) individuals successfully completed internships with the following organizations:

Hartbeat Ensemble, Hartford
TheaterWorks, Hartford
Neighborhood Studios, Bridgeport
The Mark Twain House and Museum, Hartford
The Writer's Block Ink, New London
The International Festival of Arts and Ideas, New Haven
Expressiones, New London
The Amistad Center for Arts and Culture, Hartford
City Lights Gallery, Bridgeport
The Judy Dworin Performance Project, Hartford
The Autorino Center at St. Joseph’s College, West Hartford


The Arts Workforce Initiative is funded by the Connecticut Office of the Arts

JOBS, JOBS, JOBS!

In partnership with ArtsTie, the #1 resource for jobs in the arts, the Connecticut Office of the Arts has launched a real-time feed of job opportunities in Connecticut.

Connecticut arts organizations can now post art jobs at no cost!

Individuals can find their next job in the arts by searching the live-time feed of job postings!