Bridgeport To Host Nation's First Summit of Community College Art Leaders

Bridgeport will become the epicenter of a groundbreaking national event as community college art museum and gallery leaders from across the country gather for the first-ever "Art for All: Connecting Campus and Community" summit.

Hosted by the Housatonic Museum of Art, the event will bring together representatives from community colleges across the nation, from California to Alabama, to showcase the collective impact of these institutions on students, the creative sector, and regional development.

This event will emphasize the role community college art museums play in bridging the gap between campus and community, fostering creativity, and contributing to local cultural and economic growth.

"Art for All" will take place on October 10th from 3:30 pm to 5:00 pm at CT State Housatonic’s Events Center in Beacon Hall. This free, public event will feature a dynamic panel discussion with expert panelists covering essential topics such as art collections, exhibitions, and student engagement. The event will be accessible both in-person and via live stream, ensuring participation from across the nation.

“This summit highlights the powerful role that community college art museums and galleries play, not only on their campuses but also in their communities,” said Dr. Jennifer Reynolds-Kaye, Director of the Housatonic Museum of Art. “We are looking forward to welcoming leaders from coast to coast to our campus here in Bridgeport as we collectively advocate for the creative contributions in higher education.”

"We are thrilled to come together at the Housatonic Museum of Art for the first time under the leadership of Dr. Jennifer Reynolds-Kaye,” stated Craig Hadley, Executive Director & Chief Curator Dennos Museum Center at Northwestern Michigan College. “The scope and scale of community college museums is relatively unknown within our field, and we hope to clarify our discipline and build a strong cohort of colleagues this fall."

Art History Professor Cynthia Brannvall from Foothill College in Los Altos Hills, California, will travel across the country sharing, “I am honored to represent Foothill College in this groundbreaking summit in Bridgeport, CT. Art For All illustrates the role of art museums and galleries in shaping not just the cultural landscape of our campuses, but also the broader communities we serve. By coming together, we are able to share best practices and amplify the voices of our students and artists. I look forward to contributing to this conversation and bringing new ideas back to our community in California.”

The event is the culmination of a two-day convening titled "Community College Art Museum Leadership Convening," hosting over a dozen leaders in the field gathering at CT State Housatonic. While these sessions are closed to the public, the insights and strategies developed will be shared during the public panel, underscoring the importance of collaboration and advocacy to support community college art spaces.

Funded by the Terra Foundation for American and supported by the Connecticut Office of the Arts, and Connecticut Humanities, the Association of Academic Museums & Galleries, and with additional private support, this landmark event argues for the critical role that art museums and galleries play at community colleges. “By hosting this landmark event in Bridgeport, we aim to not only showcase the critical work being done in community college art museums but also to foster future collaborations and initiatives that will resonate nationwide,” added Dr. Reynolds-Kaye.

For more information about the Museum and to obtain free registration register for "Art for All," please click here.