CAFC is here and ready to promote arts and culture in Fairfield County
Mary Margaret Walsh
When Mary-Margaret Walsh stepped up to the podium at a recent Rotary Club of Bridgeport luncheon at the downtown Holiday, she asked the group two questions.
“Who are we? What do we do.?” She asked.
Well if the Rotarians didn’t know all about the Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County (CAFC) before their guest speaker began her talk, they sure know now.
Walsh serves as the Development Director of CAFC and works with more than 450 cultural and arts organizations and individuals. The organization 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.
Walsh described CAFC’s mission as “representing the needs of the arts and cultural sector of Fairfield County.”
She pointed out that the key element of the organization’s ability to keep Fairfield residents in tune is the organization’s website fcbuzz.org. Walsh described the site as the “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. Different members also host a monthly radio show on WPKN, which is housed at the University of Bridgeport.
As part of its mission, the group provides professional development workshops for a variety of functions related to the arts. Among some of the workshops are an executive directors network, and includes 120 leaders of Fairfield County non-profit organizations who gather to share best practices across the spectrum of arts management, a marketing roundtable to help strengthen an organization’s marketing programs and create a venue for collaboration among member groups and 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.
Walsh also distributed a list of Park City arts and organizations and businesses that are members of CAFC. Bridgeport is well represented by many local institutions including the Barnum Museum, Trattoria A ‘Vucchella, Discovery Museum, Framemakers Art Gallery, Beardsley Zoo, Greater Bridgeport Latino Network, Bridgeport Community Historical Society, Klein Memorial Auditorium, Connecticut Free Shakespeare, Downtown Cabaret Theater and the University of Bridgeport.
CAFC”s Executive Director was also on hand for the presentation and was asked about the sudden closure of the Bijou Theater, the waste of the ‘newly renovated’ Playhouse on the Green’ and the ongoing stay in purgatory of the Majestic and Poli Theatres. She acknowledged that the Bridgeport situation is extreme but “the arts are under financial pressures everywhere in the state. We are continually having our funding cut.”
Walsh pointed out that her organization focuses on five key areas to further the cause of arts and culture in Fairfield County: promotion to build audiences for its membership, enhancing professional expertise, strengthening professional relationships, collaboration to conserve resources and providing a strong advocacy voice.
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.
