Our newly elected officials must quickly address complex issues facing our state. To rebuild our economy, revitalize our neighborhoods, and reimagine our way of life during and beyond the pandemic, representatives in Hartford must understand that supporting and protecting the arts and culture sector is paramount.
In an ongoing effort to communicate that Connecticut can't recover without the arts, the CT Arts Alliance and the State's designated regional partners or DSROs, have organized "Create The Vote", a statewide series of virtual candidate forums to focus attention on the importance of the arts and culture. The Cultural Alliance of Western Connecticut is a regional partner of Create The Vote. This forum is part of a series of regional candidate forums connecting voters and candidates.
The Cultural Alliance of Western Connecticut invited candidates who completed the Create The Vote survey last month to participate in this public forum to discuss their plans to strengthen the arts and culture sector in the State. The Create The Vote 5-part questionnaire was sent to all General Assembly candidates.
Invitations to participate in this forum were sent to the following candidates representing Western CT 10-town region - listed in alphabetical order.
- Aimee Berger-Girvalo (D): 111th House District, Ridgefield -confirmed
- Kerri Colombo (D); 107th House District, Bethel, Brookfield, Danbury - confirmed
- David Gronbach (D); 30th State Senate District - Brookfield, Canaan, Cornwall, Goshen, Kent, Litchfield, Morris, New Milford, North Canaan, Salisbury, Sharon, Torrington, Warren, Winchester -confirmed
- Julie Kushner (D): 24th State Senate District; Bethel, Danbury, New Fairfield, Sherman- confirmed
- Kim Healey (R): 26th State Senate District; Bethel, Redding, Ridgefield -unable to attend
- Tony Hwang (R): 28th State Senate District; Newtown, Sandy Hook
- Michelle Lapin McCabe (D): 28th State Senate District; Newtown, Sandy Hook - confirmed
- Arts & Cultural leaders
- Creative Entrepreneurs
- Board of Directors & Trustees
- Friends and Supporters of Arts & Culture
- Economic Development Coordinators
- Anyone who values arts & culture in their community
Register to attend the virtual Candidate Forum
Create the Vote CT is a nonpartisan public education campaign to raise awareness and support for the arts among voters and candidates running for public office. CT Arts Alliance launched the first Create the Votes CT during the gubernatorial election in 2018 and inspired focus on the arts during Governor Lamont's transition and helped stabilize statewide public funding for the first time since the Great Recession. The initiative was originally conceived and developed at MASSCreative a state arts advocacy organization in Massachusetts.
Connecticut Arts Alliance is a statewide non-profit organization that works to build political, financial, and grassroots support to ensure that arts are a vital part of life for everyone in Connecticut. CAA engages artists of all kinds, arts leaders, and members of the community with regular advocacy updates and signature programs like Create the Vote and Arts Day at the
Capitol.