City Lights Gallery Appoints New Board Member

City Lights Gallery Welcomes Fairfielder to Board

The City Lights Gallery announced the addition of John Brannelly of Fairfield to its board of directors.  Brannelly who works as senior market manager for community engagement for the American Cancer Society, will help the 12-year old arts organization with its development and communications plans.  In this volunteer role, Brannelly and other board members will help guide the organization’s move into its new facility later this year. 

“Brannelly’s development background will greatly enhance the volunteer fundraising capacity of City Lights Gallery,” stated Suzanne Kachmar, City Lights and Company Executive Director.  “As we prepare to leave our temporary space in the former People’s Bank headquarters building, we need help implementing the organization’s strategic plan in order to realize our goals of a new, permanent space for Winter 2016 and John can help with that,” Kachmar added. 

Brannelly, who lives in the Greenfield Hill section of Fairfield with his spouse, David Ivanko, was nominated by Board President Jeffrey Goldwasser of Trumbull and Attorney Kelly O’Donnell of Pullman & Comley.  His nomination was unanimously approved by the board of directors at its recent meeting.  Brannelly is a past board member of the San Diego Chapters of the Association of Fundraising Professionals and the Public Relations Society of America. 

Other members of the City Lights Board of Directors include:  Brad Berman, Jeff Block, Gail Bucino, Elaine Carvahlo, Jim Connelly, Claribel Correano, George Dragone, Ann Franzen, Steve Gerber, Marge Hiller, Erin McDonough, Preston Tisdale and Bruce Williams.                           

Now located at 855 Main Street in Downtown Bridgeport, City Lights Gallery presents local, regional and emerging artists to Bridgeport and its visitors. The gallery hosts various community-based exhibits and events such as: Artists’ Receptions, Arts/crafts classes, Open Studio Workshop, Lunch Time Art Demonstrations and other special events.  In addition, the Gallery is a retail store for local artists to showcase and sell their works. 

Currently, City Lights is hosting “Vintage.” Featured art includes creations and select pieces, clothing and accessories from the Made In Bridgeport collection, collectible and restored Mid-century Modern furniture from Orbitz studio, vintage postcard art by Steve Gerber, steam punk lamps by Dave Rosenberg, still-lifes by Maralyn Adlin, photography by Jay Misencik, furniture assemblage by Vince Filardi, fabric art by Karen Loprete, vintage radios collected by George Dragone.

The mission of City Lights is to leverage the power of the arts to enrich, engage, nurture, heal and inspire. City Lights provides opportunities for artists of all levels, backgrounds and abilities to present and sell their art. City Lights offers a common ground for students, youth, arts enthusiasts, artists, patrons, visitors, business people and residents to experience art, meet and exchange ideas.

By working with diverse populations City Lights works to strengthen community relationships and improve the quality of life in the Park City. City Lights’s goals are to serve the community through art, raise awareness of the growing arts community in Bridgeport and make art an essential part of everyday life for the residents, visitors, and youth and business people of Greater Bridgeport.