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 Spring 2014 awardees represent a wide array of artistic and cultural endeavors:
INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS:
Kedon Beckford – Conversations on the Green Project, a documentary about education in Bridgeport.
Ruben Marroquin – Collective Loom, weaving workshop and participatory installation to be held at Bridgeport Arts Fest on July 12, 2014.
Marcus Robinson - Entrepreneurial Arts, a program that teaches inner-city kids the “airbrush” technique and introduces them to real-life business principals.
Liz Squillace – Live Screenprinting workshop to be held at Bridgeport Arts Fest.
ORGANIZATIONS:
GBAPP Inc - 8th Annual City Kidz Got Skillz talent show, showcasing visual and performing talents of youth aged 18 and under, taking place 11/13/14 at the Bijou Theatre.
CT Ballet - Provide a unique educational dance performance for 500-1000 students in each of Bridgeport’s public high schools. Will present a variety of dance styles from colonial dance to clogging to swing to contemporary. .
CT Free Shakespeare Inc - 12 Bridgeport high school students and young adults will participate in internship program on the production of “As You Like It.” The interns will be involved in all aspects of play including technical roles, ushering, costuming, and Involved in re-creating Shakespeare’s Forest of Arden.
Hall Neighborhood House, Inc – Hall Arts Academy provides affordable arts experience through participation, interaction, and enjoyment in music, painting, arts and crafts, and dance to low-moderate income children/youth, ages 3-18, and their families.
Housatonic Community College Foundation - Live from the POEMobile, a collaboration with City Lore and Bowery Arts + Science program at Arts Fest July 12th. There will be decorations, a portable stage, a media system, and live readings and performances to showcase Bridgeport poets.
Klein Memorial Auditorium (KEYS) - Provides one-to-one instrument lessons and group music instruction to underserved inner-city children in Bridgeport who are without other access to this empowering life experience.
McGivney Community Center - Summer arts programming to 100 grade school children. Each camper will participate in and take home a “year book” at the end of the program.
Cardinal Shehan Center - Summer day camp program for 300 4-13 year old students. Students will learn the style of Chuck Close.
St. Ann Roman Catholic Church – Second annual summer concert series which aims to foster community by providing wholesome, family entertainment at an affordable price on Tuesdays in the summer at St. Ann Field on Brewster St.
West Indian American Association of Greater Bridgeport - 8th Annual WIAAGB Caribbean Jerk Festival to be held on Aug 16, 2014 at McLevy Green.
WPKN - Broadcast shows with ethnic and musical focus on many of Bridgeport’s ethnic populations including: Spanish, French-Creole, Portuguese. Feature ethnic programming that focuses on on the music of Africa, Latin America, Jamaica & Haiti and music programs from india, Korea, and other Asian countries.
