A VERY SUCCESSFUL 2017 ARTS DAY!   

Thank you to all who came out to celebrate 2017 Connecticut Arts Day on March 2, 2017.

With over 400 attendees, entertainment throughout the day, remarks by Governor Dannel P. Malloy and House Majority Leader Matt Ritter, and a fantastic keynote address by Laura Callanan, we consider the day a huge success!

SIGN UP TO RECEIVE STATE-WIDE ART ADVOCACY ALERTS!

The Connecticut Arts Alliance (CAA) was founded in 2005 as an advocacy organization and works to ensure that the arts are central to life in Connecticut.  CAA goals are to ensure:
  • That the arts remain a distinct priority in Connecticut
  • That legislators understand the unique contributions the Arts make to the social fabric and economic vitality of the State 
  • That funding for the arts increases until it support 10% of the state's arts organizations annual operating budget.
CAA was proud to be part of Connecticut Arts Day 2017 and had a great response to its panel on The Art of Advocacy.
KRISTINA NEWMAN-SCOTT, DIRECTOR OF CULTURE, FEATURED IN NEXT CITY:   CONNECTICUT BETS ON A RTS AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP FOR EQUITY
The arts are often seen as a pastime of elites. Indeed, in cities like Hartford, Connecticut, people with college degrees, or those who make more than $100,000 a year, are more likely to take advantage of their local museum or concert hall than those who make less or didn’t finish college.
FINNISH CULTURAL HERITAGE IN CONNECTICUT

The Connecticut Historical Society (CHS) is partnering with the Finnish American Heritage Society (FAHS) based in Canterbury CT to present art works, images, and documentation of the community’s history from the FAHS archives, one of the largest Finnish collections in the country. The exhibit, entitled Sisu and Creativity: Finnish American Heritage in Connecticut, opens with a reception on Friday March 24 from 5:30-7 PM at the Connecticut Historical Society. The event features remarks by Finnish cultural leaders and a folk music performance by fiddler Saul Ahola and accordionist/composer Hannu Makipuru. The event is free and open to the public. Please rsvp to rsvp@chs.org
A SPECIAL THANK YOU -
CONSTANCE M. SATTLER

The staff of the Connecticut Office of the Arts were deeply moved to learn that Constance M. Sattler of Moodus, Connecticut left a monetary gift to the State of Connecticut's Office of the Arts.

Ms. Sattler was an accomplished musician who played the viola and was a supporter of the arts.

Her obituary can be viewed here.
NEA INVITES CONNECTICUT'S ARC DESIGN EDUCATION DIRECTOR TO SPEAK IN D.C.

Anna Sanko, founder and executive director of the Architecture Resource Center will speak at the National Council on the Arts March meeting. The presentation will feature the ARC’s history and examples of the diverse work and populations served since its beginning in 1991. At the Chairman’s request, Ms. Sanko will lead a sample exercise for the council members, much like the session Ms. Chu observed in her 2015 site visit to a New Haven Classroom. The NEA and CT Office of the Arts have both been instrumental in supporting the development, implementation, and dissemination of the Architecture Resource Center’s programs since its inception.
Creative Communities Exchange (CCX)
June 8-9, 2017 


CCX 2017 will take place in New London, Connecticut, where arts and cross-sector leaders are forging strategic and surprising synergies across southeastern Connecticut to meet the economic and community development needs of today and plan for the future.

$100 if registered by 4.14.17/ $150 after
Online Registration closes on June 1; walk-up registration available if space allows.

Registration includes:

  • Attendance at all workshops & presentations
  • Thursday and Friday breakfast
  • Thursday cocktail reception
  • Thursday and Friday lunch
SAVE THE DATE! 24TH ANNUAL SUMMER INSTITUTE
JULY 10-14, 2017

The 2017 Higher Order Thinking (HOT) Schools' Summer Institute, “THE HOT APPROACH MAKES STEM SIZZLE”,  is a residential professional development conference packed with renowned speakers, seminars, workshops and sequential learning tracks, interactive demonstrations and performances.

Appropriate for: school teams, individual arts and non-arts classroom teachers, administrators, parents, teaching artists and arts/cultural organization educators

Registration will open March 28, 2017.