State Of The Arts To Be Discussed, May 8

BRIDGEPORT — The Black Rock Art Center will host its second annual State of the Arts round table discussion and exhibit on Thursday, May 8, at 7 pm.

State of the Arts is an annual event designed to bring together artists, arts organizers and legislators to discuss current issues that affect those in the arts. Special focus will be given to issues such as barriers to funding and the impact Bridgeport’s Cultural Plan will have on the city’s artists and arts organizations.

This year’s moderator will be Ryan Odinak, executive director of Fairfield Arts Council. The discussion will function as a follow up for many guests who also attended the Arts and Culture Funding Forum held at Housatonic Community College on March 28. That forum dealt with channels of funding that organizations could pursue when developing programs.

Representatives from Bridgeport City Hall, NEST Arts Factory, The Barnum Museum, Gallery 1212, City Lights Gallery, The Discovery Museum, Fairfield Arts Council, MACH, Housatonic Museum and Read’s ArtSpace, among others, have been invited to attend and contribute to this important conversation.  Members of the community are invited to join in as well.

The evening will include an opportunity to network with others in the industry and to get a preview of several artist pieces and trash drum artworks. These items will later be deployed to Seaside Park for the First Annual Seaside Park Arts Festival, taking place on West Beach on Saturday, May 24, noon to 5 pm.

State of the Arts will be held at the Black Rock Art Center, 2838 Fairfield Avenue. Visit BlackRockArtCenter.org or call 203-367-7917 for additional information.