CT Humanities Funding Helps Support Fairfield Museum's Programming Future

FAIRFIELD, CT – Fairfield Museum & History Center is grateful for a series of vital grants that have been awarded to the Museum from Connecticut Humanities.  These highly competitive grants are instrumental in helping to fund the Museum’s efforts to chart a future path while providing the community with engaging virtual and in-person events, exhibitions, and programming throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.  

In 2019, the Fairfield Museum was awarded a Connecticut Humanities grant to help fund the Museum’s new strategic plan that establishes a framework to guide the next decade of the Museum’s growth and success. The project succeeded in refining the Museum’s mission and vision as a key community leader, a destination for visitors to Fairfield County, and a critical education partner to regional schools. 

In April 2020, the Museum received a Connecticut Humanities CARES Act Relief Grant to help mitigate the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Museum, like all businesses and non-profits, was hit hard by the virus. This funding allowed Fairfield Museum to support its staff, provide public programming, and prepare the Museum to reopen to the public in June.

A third Connecticut Humanities grant was awarded in September 2020 to support the Fairfield Museum’s new distance learning platform, developed in partnership with Fairfield Public Schools (FPS) and technology company CultureConnect. Beginning in March 2021, the platform will host online regional history virtual visits and activities for all Fairfield Public Schools 3rd and 5th graders. 

In addition, the Fairfield Museum received a Connecticut Humanities grant in 2019 to support planning for an inventive new exhibition entitled “Speak Up!” The exhibition, originally scheduled to open July 2, 2020, was postponed due to the pandemic and is now scheduled to open in spring of 2021. “Speak Up!” celebrates and explores the history of citizen’s advocacy in the Fairfield region and the vital role that social activism plays in our communities. 

“Given the enormous challenges the Fairfield Museum and our community have experienced in 2020, Connecticut Humanities grants have been vital to our efforts to engage the public and provide a much needed respite during the pandemic,” said Executive Director, Mike Jehle. “The Fairfield Museum’s mission is simple and powerful: To connect people around the complex history of Fairfield and neighboring communities so that together we may shape a more informed future. The support from Connecticut Humanities is deeply appreciated and is crucial to the success of our mission.” For more information, visit www.fairfieldhistory.org.

Connecticut Humanities, a non-profit affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, provides opportunities to explore the history, literature and the vibrant culture that make our state, cities and towns attractive places to live and work. Learn more by visiting cthumanities.org. 

About the Fairfield Museum and History Center:

Fairfield Museum and History Center is a vibrant nexus of community life offering dynamic family programs and exhibitions, sparking dialogue and deliberating the challenges of the future. Central to our community-focused mission is a desire to provide important historical context to pressing issues of our time, and to offer a safe, trustworthy environment where multiple perspectives can be heard, and collective solutions explored.

About Connecticut Humanities

Connecticut Humanities encourages curiosity, understanding and critical thinking, providing leadership through grants, partnerships and collaborative programs. We produce wonderful programs throughout the state in libraries, schools and community-based organizations, and while they are all important, there is a common thread among them: connecting people and ideas.