See more photos on Mayor Finch's Facebook page
The Mayor’s Neighborhood Arts & Heritage Grant Program, funded by
the City of Bridgeport Mayor’s Office and administered by the
Bridgeport Arts + Cultural Council (BACC), celebrates Bridgeport’s
dynamic artistic and cultural environment by supporting the creative
pursuits of its artists and cultural institutions. The Program enriches
the quality of life in the City by funding arts and heritage projects
and programs and underserved individuals and organizations. Artists,
artisans, craft makers and musicians who reside or create works within
the City of Bridgeport and Bridgeport organizations with an evidenced
visual and/or performing arts or heritage mission and non-profit
educational, faith-based or social service organizations offering arts
and/or heritage programming are eligible.
The Fall 2013 awardees represent a wide array of artistic and cultural endeavors:
INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS:
Andrea Asprelli – Organize a Re-Imagining Bluegrass workshop and video project with Cricket Tell the Weather which will introduce 45 fifth grade students at Classical Studies Academy in Bridgeport to cultural and historical context of bluegrass in relation to American music.
Rebecca Bryan – Whisk + Brush
is a resource for Bridgeport residents (and others) to explore the
worlds of art and food. Whisk + Brush will create a website, an online
venue to spotlight artists and studio spaces as well as food-related
topics to draw in the community through art and food.
Robert Foley - Majestic and Poli’s Theaters Digital History Archive Project:
create central data and digital repository of vaudeville theater
history relating to Majestic and Poli’s Theaters in Bridgeport.
MIA Lipstick – Dear Theo project:
create six paintings of Bridgeport imagery with corresponding letters
to the BACC (a la Vincent van Gogh who wrote to his brother Theo) for
display at Burroughs Library so viewers can understand mindset of artist
as a creative individual.
Veronica Martins - Want To Be An Artist
program: teaching art to children to inspire them and spark their
creativity as an alternative to the television, video games, and the
internet.
Yolanda Petrocelli - Create two prints for display at City Lights Barnum Redux show, Jan. 2014.
ORGANIZATIONS:
The Barnum Museum Foundation Inc. - Support Barnum Museum Vision Planning initiative to explore and develop vision for Barnum Museum through focus groups and design charrette.
Bridgeport Neighborhood Trust - Bridgeport Neighborhood Trust is fiduciary for Good Neighbors Westside
who will work with a professional and student artist to create mosaic
murals of recycled tiles at two Westside parks–McGovern and Clinton–to
bring beauty to the parks and draw visitors. They will also host an
outreach day with food and games for children.
Bridgeport Theatre Company - Produce “To Kill a Mockingbird” at Downtown Cabaret Theatre, Bridgeport, in March 2014.
James J. Curiale Parent Advisory Committee – Create a
Community Unity mural, drawing in Curiale School students, parents,
staff and the surrounding neighborhood. Students and their families are
asked to nominate a historical figure from their heritage. A unity mural
will be created by an artist and the school community and a final
celebration will be held to unveil the project.
Discovery Museum and Planetarium - Host programs and exhibitions that highlight the State’s and Region’s manufacturing legacy. Please, Write, On the Move and All in a Day’s Work: Photographs of Women in Connecticut History.
Trashbusters of Bridgeport - Host three events with holiday themes that feature arts, crafts, and traditions of varied ethnicities of neighborhood.
Wakeman Memorial Association - Wakeman Memorial Association is the fiduciary for the NEST and Bridgeport Community Gardens.
They will introduce art to community gardens and culinary arts to
low-income populace in West End and Black Rock neighborhoods. NEST
artists will design a sidewalk garden that incorporates floral designs,
sand sculptures, lanterns, and other botany-based artworks. Burroughs
Community Center will work with youth members of Wakeman Boys and Girls Club to introduce them to culinary art.