The Cultural Alliance of Western Connecticut’s eighth annual “Business Supports the Arts,” or BSA, awards breakfast is Thursday, 7:30 to 9 a.m., Matrix Corporate Center, 39 Old Ridgebury Road in Danbury.
More than 350 artists, businesspeople and community leaders are expected to attend.
This year’s peer-nominated honorees include the Fairfield County Community Foundation (BSA Award), Bethel’s Pizzeria Lauretano (Arts in the Community Award) and Wayne J. Leiss, longtime volunteer at the Ridgefield Theater Barn (Heart of the Arts Award).
The annual effort raises money for the Cultural Alliance’s mission: “To market the region; to encourage place-making; and to provide unique opportunities and resources to the ”˜cultural creatives”™ it serves.”
Lew Wallace, president of the alliance’s board of directors, in a statement said, “These exemplary honorees ”“ Fairfield County Community Foundation, Pizzeria Lauretano and Wayne J. Leiss ”“ represent a real, impactful and immeasurable currency within our cultural arena. The Cultural Alliance is pleased to add them to our growing ‘Business Supports the Arts’ family. We thank them for their passion, effort and unwavering support.”
The Fairfield County Community Foundation awarded more than $837,000 to arts-themed organizations in 2013; Bethel’s Pizzeria Lauretano hosts a popular Sunday jazz series that has included talents like the Count Basie Orchestra; and Wayne Leiss is president of the Ridgefield Theater Barn board of directors, a position he has held for more than a decade.
