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IN THIS ISSUE
The Knowlton Walls Mural Park Project, Bridgeport Art Trail discusses Save Our Stages and independent theatres in the community, BAT 2020 plans an adapted online/onsite arts celebration this November, your arts events calendar.
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SPECIAL FEATURE: THE KNOWLTON WALLS MURAL PARK
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Art & Culture Together is creating a Mural Park at The Knowlton called The Knowlton Walls. We are bringing in world renowned muralists from the U.S. and abroad. We have three murals up and eight more to be created in the next couple of months. The next mural is going up Friday, July 31 by JPO Art, a local artist from Bridgeport.
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What is the motivation behind these mural projects?
The motivation was to create a new world-renowned art hub taking inspiration from the Wynwood Walls. We were inspired to transform this industrial area that isn’t in any development zone into an area everyone local and not local needed to come visit. The waterfront lent itself perfectly for an outdoor mural park.
Why do you think public art is important for the City of Bridgeport?
I think public art is important for the world. For Bridgeport, creating a Mural Park with international artists putting their mark on our city helps show that there is a thriving art community in Bridgeport. The Knowlton is home to 25 of them in our Artist Studios. I was amazed when I moved to CT and discovered how many artists created beautiful art in Bridgeport!
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Artists that have completed works so far are:
Jayson Naylor (Hope Mural Side of the Free standing building)
CrashOne Crash Mural (Shipping container next to the river)
Bio Tats Cru (The Bridgeport Mural shipping container next to Crash)
John Paul Ogrodnick Gallery Mural (NOT COMPLETED YET)
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SAVE OUR STAGES ACT
BRIDGEPORT ART TRAIL EDITORIAL
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Many have benefitted from the arts during this time of sheltering in place. The arts are a source of entertainment, enrichment, self-development, socialization, expression and innovation. Theatres, museums, arts venues are struggling to exist, as are many small business-owners and employees who are wondering how long their Covid19 unemployment benefits will last.
The “Save Our Stages Act” has been launched to provide assistance to one of the last arts industry to re-open and resume sustainable business. ” Independent music and entertainment venues have been among the hardest-hit businesses during the COVID-19 crisis. Even as some portions of the economy begin to re-open, venues will likely remain closed for some time, as the coronavirus is believed to spread especially quickly in crowded indoor spaces.” Press release from Save Our Stages Act.
Amy Klobuchar, a supporter of this act said, “This legislation would help ensure that small entertainment venues can continue to operate and serve our communities for generations to come.” Bridgeport already has 2 shuttered theatre sites, one on Pleasure Beach and the other on Main Street North.
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Current condition of the Polka Dot Playhouse Theatre on Pleasure Beach in Bridgeport, CT.
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Some of the local art casualties due to Covid19 include the Acoustic Café in Black Rock and Franklin Street Works in Stamford. Good news for the Acoustic site, it will now become a project space for the School of Rock, Fairfield. This legislation would help for-profit, independent theatre venues like the Bijou Theatre.
Listen to independent theatre owners talk about the situation.
Related story: The Downtown Cabaret Theatre temporarily closed during Covid19
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BRIDGEPORT ART TRAIL NEWS
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BRIDGEPORT ART TRAIL 2020
An adapted 10 day online/onsite arts celebration
November 5-15, 2020
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We all have been affected in some way as we endure more than four months of the pandemic shutdown. We may have lost work, loved ones, neighbors, associates. Our lifestyles have been altered. We may have learned something new about ourselves and those close to us. We may have reassessed what is important. Many have benefitted from the arts during this time of sheltering in place as a source of entertainment, enrichment, self-development, socialization, expression. Like other small business-owners, artists and arts venues are struggling to exist, as are many employees who are wondering how long their unemployment benefits will last.
Bridgeport’s creative community is resolved to produce an adapted version of the Bridgeport Art Trail. Plans are in formulation for a 10 day calendar of online programs, virtual tours, workshops and demonstrations. We will run a crowdfunding campaign, to support the creation and promotion of user-friendly, easily accessible, FREE online programs and studio tours.
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CITY LIGHTS/BRIDGEPORT ART TRAIL SERVING THE COMMUNITY
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City Lights programs reached 6000 students in 2019, enriching the learning experience for youth and providing work opportunities for artists. Your contribution is critically needed now. Young people need to be increasingly engaged as they stay home, away from school and summer programs to avoid Covid19. Teaching artists are gig economy workers who have lost their steady flow of income due to the pandemic shutdown.
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CITY LIGHTS RELEVANCE AND SUSTAINABILITY DURING COVID-19
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THIS IS WHAT WE ARE DOING
*Listen WPKN radio: City Lights/Bridgeport Art Trail programs and plans
Learn More
*Advocating for artists and arts organizations
Learn More
*Producing the Bridgeport Art Trail newsletter collaborating on public art.
Learn More
*Working with artists to create engaging online programs for students.
Art, Play, the Circus of Alexander Calder, How to Juggle
Learn More
*Collaborating to Write a Song
Learn More |
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CITY LIGHTS MARKS 16 YEARS!
WHAT WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED, THE NUMBERS:
Over the past 10 yrs our small nonprofit has reached
10,000 student attendees.
Over the past 6 yrs we have supplemented artists’ income through facilitating art commissions, sales and teaching artists fees
in the amount of $350,000.
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THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS AND PARTNERS:
Fairfield's County Community Foundation, Band Central, Spread Music Now, Bridgeport Rotary, Trumbull Rotary, Pitney Bowes Foundation, People's United Bank
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COMMUNITY UPDATES AND PROGRAMS
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Celebrating 10 Years of Greater Bridgeport Pride
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“Photography Goes Wild” Online Exhibit
Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo
Deadline: Jul 31, 2020
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Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo is proud to announce its second non-juried photography exhibition will be held online this year, an opportunity for the Zoo’s many dedicated amateur and professional photographers to submit their best work for public viewing.
Photographers are invited to upload their submissions. Judging will take place the first week in August, with a Facebook Live Winners Presentation held afterward.
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The Writer's Group with Shanna T. Melton
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City Lights Vintage - Now Open by Appointment and Online Shopping
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WPKN Community Radio Podcasts
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WPKN is a nonprofit, freeform, community radio station (arts organization) that is more than 50 years old. The vision of WPKN is to build community, a loyal and growing audience, and an engaged and educated citizenry by providing the highest quality of free-form programming that broadcasts entertainment, music, news, thoughts, sounds, ideas and event listings that support free speech, diversity, and the interests of the local and global communities WPKN serves. MORE INFORMATION
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SUPPORT DOWNTOWN BRIDGEPORT
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The Bridgeport Downtown Farmers Market is held on Thursdays from July 9th through October 8th from 10:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m in McLevy Green (102 Bank Street).
Come enjoy fresh fruits and veggies, takeaway food, and more! Check out the complete list of vendors here:
All attendees must wear a mask. See you there! |
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SUPPORT THE BRIDGEPORT ART TRAIL
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THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT
Stay safe, be prudent, and kind to others and yourself. Stay in touch with us on the Bridgeport Art Trail Facebook Page where we post frequently.
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