THE NEW VISION AND MISSION OF THE CONNECTICUT OFFICE OF THE ARTS

In the fall of 2015, the Office of the Arts undertook the creation of a five-year Cultural Strategy. The full Cultural Strategy plan will be released in November. In the meantime, we would like to share our new Vision and new Mission. 

 VISION: 
Inspire. Empower. Educate. Transform.  The arts are a human right. The Connecticut Office of the Arts envisions a world where the arts, in all forms, are embedded in everyday life.

MISSION:
The Connecticut Office of the Arts animates a culture of creativity across Connecticut by supporting arts making and arts participation for all people.

It is worth noting that these statements come from the Office of the Arts team; they were crafted word-by-word by our staff and will serve as our guideposts to making decisions about how to best serve our constituents.

There is more!  Read our Equity, Inclusion and Access statements too.

JOIN US FOR A  CURATOR & ARTISTS TALK

Date: Thursday, November 3
Time: 5 pm to 7 pm
Location:
The Gallery at Constitution Plaza, Hartford, CT

Come meet the curator and the artists whose works are currently on display in the exhibit "Connecticut Traditional Artists and their Communities."  This exhibit celebrates the 25 years of the Connecticut Cultural Heritage Arts Program.

Free admission and validated parking.
CREATIVES COUNT: THE NEW ENGLAND CREATIVE WORKER SURVEY

Creative workers are a vital part of our region's vibrancy, but are often undercounted - and underserved.  Will you help change that?

You are invited to count yourself in and bridge the knowledge gap about yourself and your peers by answering questions about your jobs, income, and career priorities.  When you complete the survey, you will be entered into a drawing to win a $25 gift card! 


The survey  closes on November 18.
NEW LONDON TO HOST NEW ENGLAND FOUNDATION FOR THE ARTS' CREATIVE ECONOMY CONFERENCE
June 8 & 9, 2017

The City of New London, in partnership with the Southeastern Connecticut Cultural Coalition, will host the 2017 Creative Communities Exchange (CCX) in June 2017.  The New England Foundation for the Arts chose New London in a competitive process.  

The CCX is a peer-to-peer exchange of the strategies used in successful creative economy initiatives around New England.  The event is expected to draw up to 300 visitors.  

Local venues for the conference will include the Garde Arts Center, Hygienic Art and art spaces in the Harris Place Building, an 1885 Romanesque Revival building on State Street.

CONGRATULATIONS, NEW LONDON!

WELL DONE, SOUTHEASTERN CT CULTURAL COALITION!


ELECTION DAY: HOT SCHOOLS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
November 8, 2016


This professional development day will provide hands-on experiential learning in brain research, arts and science integrated workshops providing a framework for encouraging creativity and critical thinking while exploring the intersections between the arts and STEM subjects.

This event is open to all those interested.  There is no charge for this event.  No charge. 
ART HAPPENS HERE: CONNECTICUT!
On November 20, the New Britain Symphony Orchestra will present the world premier of Are There Still Bells by Hartford native and retired-physician-turned-composer  Albert Hurwit.  

Hurwit's new composition Are There Still Bells started as a short original Christmas carol inspired by Henry Longfellow's poem "Christmas Bells." Hurwit extended the lyrics and expanded the music into an eleven minute composition for chorus and chamber orchestra.

The world premiere will take place on Sunday, November 20, from 3-5 pm at Welte Hall, New Britain, CT.  Cost is $20 for adults and free for children and college students.  For tickets, contact the Symphony Office. 



A big congratulations to Ball & Socket Arts on their successful Windows Project - A Celebration of Cheshire Artists.

The Ball & Socket Arts plans to transform the former Ball and Socket Manufacturing Company factory in Cheshire to a vibrant cultural center.  The center will partner the visual and performing arts, community arts programming, artist studio space, arts education and design workshops to create a synergistic arts hub that serve Cheshire and the south-central region of Connecticut.

View the segment on NBC Connecticut.


CONNECTICUT ARTS COUNCIL MEMBER & CONNECTICUT PROFESSOR SELECTED AS NEW YORK TIMES' CURRICULUM LEADER FOR ARTS & VISUAL CULTURE 

Philip Eliasoph, PhD, has begun his new assignment for the New York Times higher education platform: inEducation.  He will be contributing three blog posts weekly as the Times' Faculty Consultant for the newly designed Arts & Visual Culture pages.  Dr. Eliasoph's blogs aim to provoke interesting conversations in classrooms at academic institutions around the globe.

One of his first posts, "New Evidence on Van Gogh's Ear Continues Debate on Painter's Mental State," in conjunction with Amsterdam's Van Gogh Museum current exhibition: "On the Verge of Insanity," Eliasoph discusses how the exhibit "explores the historical and medical context of the iconic Dutch artist's severing of his left ear."  

Dr. Eliasoph is a Professor of Art History & Visual Culture at Fairfield University in Fairfield, Connecticut.  He is a lifelong public arts advocate and serves by appointment of the Governor on the Connecticut Arts Council.  He was recently elected as a Trustee for the Connecticut Arts Foundation.
FY2017 REGIONAL INITIATIVE GRANTS
In partnership with our nine (9) Regional Cultural Service Organizations, we are pleased to share the recipients of the FY2017 Regional Initiative Grants.  

Once again, congratulations to all the grantees!  We look forward to seeing the result of your work!
VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE PUBLIC WORK OF ART

Do you have a piece of public art that you love?  Take this opportunity to support the public artist whose work is particularly meaningful to you.  Cast your online vote today!

The artist whose work receives the highest number of votes will receive a cash prize of $10,000.  Two (2) second place winners will receive $5,000 and five (5) third place winners will receive $1,000.

Cast your VOTE today!
Voting ends October 31, 2017
 
The Art of Giving campaign is to celebrate the value of public art in America and to support artists who have made a positive impact on their communities through public art.

The Art of Giving campaign is brought to you by  KRIS Wines  and Americans for the Arts.
A NEW ART IN PUBLIC SPACES OPPORTUNITY

CT Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES) - New Haven
Budget: $75,000
Deadline: November 4, 2016
Project Summary: Public art with an archival component that focuses on CAES's extensive collection of historic photograph's and artifacts.
Request for Qualifications (RFQ)

More information about other RFQ  opportunities visit the  Art in Public Spaces webpage  and register a portfolio in the   Art in Public Spaces Registry .
US-AFRICAN TRADE: THE BUSINESS OF ART, CULTURE AND ENTERTAINMENT
November 4, 2016
Gateway Community College, New Haven

Registration is now open for the 2016 US-Africa Business Conference.  The focus of the conference will be the Role of Arts, Culture and Entertainment Industry in Advancing Economic Development.

Topics to include:
  • The Arts as a Vehicle for Economic Growth
  • African Economic Environment
  • The US/African Movie & Tourism Industry

Guest speakers include:

  • Senator Ben Murray Bruce, Chairman of the Nigerian Senate Committee on Privatization and Founder/Chairman of Silverbird Group of Companies
  • Steven Breese, Dean, School of Arts and Sciences at SSCU
  • Bart Kollen, Deputy Commissioner, Connecticut Dept. of Economic & Community Development
  • Kristina Newman-Scott, Director of Culture, State of Connecticut
  • Bob Manuel Udokwu, Nigerian actor
In celebration of their 50th Anniversary, the National Endowment for the Arts looks at the arts and culture of Connecticut.

CONNECTICUT OFFICE OF THE ARTS