Mary-Margaret Walsh to speak at Tuesday's Rotary Club luncheon

Mary-Margaret Walsh serves as the Development Director at Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County (CAFC).

CAFC works with more than 450 cultural and arts organizations and individuals. It publicizes events and behind the scenes provides services and advice — from internal consulting for artists and organizations to hosting networking events to expand and strengthen the vital arts and culture community.

CAFC is also active beyond Fairfield County, with a board and staff who serve on many local, regional and state advocacy boards.

Its most visible vehicle is fcbuzz.org, described by Walsh as “cornerstone of our unified marketing strategy” and the “go to source to find out what’s going on in the arts and cultural sector in Fairfield County.”

CAFC also sends out a weekly e-blast to 6,200 subscribers offering suggestions about what to do for the week or weekend. Members also host a monthly radio show on WPKN.

The group provides professional development workshops for a variety of functions.

The first workshop is an executive directors network, and includes 120 leaders of 501(c)(3) organizations who gather to share best practices across the spectrum of arts management.

The second is a marketing roundtable to help strengthen an organization’s marketing programs and create a venue for collaboration among member groups.

The third workshop is a peer advisers network, a program that brings outside subject matter experts in to assist organizations in matters where they may not be completely comfortable. One moribund organization used a peer advisor to help it turn around by restructuring its board, developing a strategic plan, and, ultimately, hiring a new executive director.

The Rotary Club of Bridgeport is one of the oldest Rotary Clubs in the world. In more than 34,000 clubs worldwide, members volunteer in communities at home and abroad to support education and job training, provide clean water, combat hunger, improve health and sanitation, and eradicate polio.

The Rotary Club of Bridgeport meets on Tuesdays from 12:15 to 1:30 p.m. at the Bridgeport Holiday Inn. For more information about the Bridgeport Rotary Club, contact Carolyn Vermont, Vice-President, at 203-685-5709.