Werth Family Foundation Donates $75,000 to Housatonic Museum of Art

Bridgeport, CT - The Housatonic Community College Foundation announced that the Werth Family Foundation has made a large donation to the Housatonic Museum of Art (HMA) in Bridgeport, CT. As a long-time donor, the Woodbridge-based organization’s $75,000 grant further underscores its commitment to advancing cultural learning in Bridgeport, Fairfield County and Southern New England.

“The quality of the programming, educational outreach, collections care and special exhibitions are held in high esteem and we are immensely proud to support the Housatonic Museum,” said Deborah Bachard, member of the Werth Family Foundation Board.

Since its founding in 1967 by the late Burt Chernow, HMA has welcomed more than 500,000 visitors to explore the exhibits and collection of almost 6,000 works that span the history of art from the ancient to the contemporary. As one of the premier college art collections in the United States, and the only museum in Bridgeport solely dedicated to visual arts, HMA’s permanent collection is on continuous display throughout the Housatonic Community College (HCC) campus, offering a rare opportunity for students, community members, art enthusiasts, and casual observers to view and interact with art on a daily basis.

For over fifteen years the Werth Family Foundation has supported the Museum’s initiatives and programs. This current investment will help to support five upcoming special exhibitions, including a contemporary sports photography exhibition by well-known sports photographer Walter Iooss Jr., planned for early next year.

The gift will also support public programming, a partnership with Connecticut Film Festival, and the ongoing Werth Family Foundation Student Docent Program, which has offered vital supplemental arts education to over 5,000 Bridgeport students since 2000. Additionally, the funding will help to provide the Museum with a social media associate and will support the conservation of two paintings, Girl Sitting by Mailbox by New Realism painter Jack Beal and Self-Portrait by American figurative painter, printmaker, and sculptor Shirley Gorelick.

“We are grateful to the Werth Family Foundation for collaborating with the Housatonic Museum of Art in transforming the cultural landscape and promoting lifelong learning in Fairfield County, and for helping to create more equitable access for all members of the community,” said Robbin Zella, director of the Housatonic Museum of Art.

The Housatonic Community College Foundation was formed in 1990 to assist HCC and its students, providing resources for scholarships, equipment, program enhancements, community outreach and support for the Housatonic Museum of Art.

To learn more about the Housatonic Museum of Art, visit www.HousatonicMuseum.org or call 203-332-5052. The HMA galleries are located at 900 Lafayette Blvd, in Bridgeport, CT on the Housatonic Community College campus.