BY DAVID GREEN
How are work and the workplace changing? What are the particular flavors of the Connecticut economy that have affected the industries and the jobs that have come and gone in our area? Examining this question is Connecticut at Work, an initiative organized by Connecticut Humanities around a touring exhibition from the National Archives titled “The Way We Worked.”
As Connecticut Humanities”™ organizing agent for the Stamford region, The Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County has helped cultural organizations apply for grant opportunities to program around the theme of the changing workplace and workforce in our region: successful programs include a collaborative educational exhibit of the restored Robert Lambdin mural, “Saugatuck in the Nineteenth Century,” at the Westport Historical Society, a panel discussion on “Women & Leadership: The Glass Ceiling” at the Stamford Museum, and post-performance discussions at the Westport Country Playhouse”™s production of Lynn Nottage”™s Pulitzer Prize-winning “Intimate Apparel.” Information about many of these events can be found on our event calendar, FCBuzz.org.
The Cultural Alliance has also developed its own program under the CT at Work banner. Stimulated by ongoing discussions about including the Arts in STEM education (making STEAM), we have partnered with Fairfield University to bring Randy Cohen from Americans for the Arts to talk on “The Arts, Creativity and the 21st-Century Workforce.” The program will be held Monday, Oct. 20 at Fairfield University”™s Dolan School of Business. The panelists will include Kip Bergstrom, deputy commissioner of Connecticut”™s Department of Economic and Community Development; Chris Bruhl, president and CEO of the Business Council of Fairfield County; Jill Saverine, vice president of human resources at Priceline.com; and James Simon, professor and associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Fairfield University. The panel will be moderated by innovation expert Jeanine Esposito, founder, Spark Consulting.
Sacred Heart University, the University of Bridgeport and Comradity in Stamford have partnered with us in presenting three lead-in programs under the umbrella of Creativity in the Workplace. See the whole program at creativity.culturalalliancefc.org and RSVP for Oct. 20 to david@culturalalliancefc.org.
David Green is director of programs and membership for the Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County.
