Governor Lamont to recognize Ridgefield as state’s first Cultural District, state dignitaries to visit the Aldrich Museum on Friday

On May 21, Governor Ned Lamont and other state dignitaries will visit Ridgefield to announce that the town has been granted the state’s first Cultural District designation.

The Governor; Elizabeth Shapiro, from the Connecticut Office of the Arts; Hal Kurfehs, representing the Cultural Alliance of Western Connecticut; along with Ridgefield First Selectman Rudy Marconi; Ridgefield Playhouse Executive Director Allison Stockel; Keeler Tavern Museum Executive Director Hilde Grob; West Lane Inn owner Christine Carnicelli; and Ridgefield Economic & Community Development member Glori Norwitt will discuss the arts & cultural community in Ridgefield as it relates to its Cultural District designation at the Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum at 1 pm.

“The Cultural District designation recognizes that Ridgefield has an expansive yet walk-able downtown area that makes the town a cultural powerhouse. It’s like the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval,” says ECDC Chair Geoffrey Morris.

ECDC plans to market this new Cultural District, and encourages all businesses and organizations within it to do the same. Signs will be placed on the north and south ends of Main Street, marking when visitors enter the Cultural District. This new designation will be valuable for tourism both locally and in the region. ECDC hopes that the Governor’s formal acknowledgement of the many activities and sights in Ridgefield will encourage visitors to stay for a weekend, instead of just one night. “The people of Ridgefield have long appreciated the abundance of arts and culture in town. We are thrilled that the state also recognizes all that Ridgefield has to offer, by giving us the first Cultural District designation,” stated Rudy Marconi, First Selectman of the Town of Ridgefield.

With this new designation, Ridgefield’s Cultural District will be promoted and marketed by the CT Department of Economic Community Development (“DECD”), which includes the Office of the Arts and the Office of Tourism, along with Ridgefield’s Designated Regional Service Organization, which is the Cultural Alliance of Western CT.

In October 2019, a law originally proposed by then-State Representative John Frey (who will be in attendance) became effective, allowing the State to designate a specific area of a city or town as a “Cultural District”. On behalf of the Town and ECDC, Commissioner Norwitt began organizing materials to apply, although the process soon slowed down due to the Covid19 pandemic. Per the process requirements, an Advisory Council subcommittee was formed, comprised of a diverse mix of Town organizations and businesses, with representation from the Board of Selectmen (“BOS”), the Historic District Commission, the Ridgefield Arts Council, the Keeler Tavern Museum & History Center, the Ridgefield Playhouse, the Ridgefield Library, the Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, Thrown Stone Theater Company, the Ridgefield Historical Society, the Ridgefield Guild of Artists, TownVibe Media, and the West Lane Inn.

A Public Hearing was held in August 2020 during a BOS meeting, where the BOS voted unanimously to support the ECDC’s Application to the State. The CT Office of the Arts later had a “virtual visit” with the Advisory Council Subcommittee, First Selectman Marconi, and the ECDC, which included a virtual walking tour of the proposed Cultural District. The virtual tour can be viewed at https://vimeo.com/509357299

“Receiving the first Cultural District designation in the State not only spotlights how many exceptional cultural wonders we have in our town, but also highlights the teamwork of the arts & culture for-profit and nonprofit organizations that worked together to submit and promote the Town’s application for the designation to the State,” explained ECDC Commissioner Norwitt.

State Rep. Aimee Berger-Girvalo will be in attendance.

Because of COVID restrictions we ask that you let us know if you will be attending this press conference, which is not open to the public.