Drew Friedman Commty Arts Ctr. Gives $500K to Westport/Weston Art Programs

Westport, CT - The Drew Friedman Community Arts Center (DFCAC) has announced a $500,000 award to fund art programs and scholarships for underserved artists of all ages, to be awarded over the next 10 years, and a Gala on May 17th to celebrate their extraordinary accomplishments.

Drew Freidman, the founding member of the Westport Downtown Merchants Association, led the way for what is now a vibrant downtown shopping area. He bought his first property in 1959 and several more in years to come. 

Drew’s passion for the arts was tied to his beloved wife, Bobbie, who was an accomplished artist. She worked in a variety of mediums creating magnificent works on canvas, clay and bronze. Drew built Bobbie an amazing state-of-the-art-studio that was to be the home of the DFCAC after her death in December 2011; but since the studio was built over an aquifer, the land use rules made this dream impossible.

After Drew’s death in February in 2016, Nick Visconti, his long-time friend and business partner picked up where Drew left off in fulfilling Drew’s vision with help from Westport’s favorite hometown artist, Miggs Burroughs, and Nick’s sister, Louise Fusco, as well. This center will honor Bobbie’s memory and be a place for free visual and performing arts classes for the underserved community of children from 7-18 years old.

Currently DFCAC is funding several art initiatives that includes the cost of all materials and instructors at CLASP Homes, Homes with Hope, The Westport Art Center and The Westport Historical Society. DFCAC also funds the Westport Woman’s Club with scholarships. Art scholarship applications in the amounts ranging from $2,500 to $7,500 per student can be downloaded from the Westport Collective’s website atwestportartistscollective.com.

PHOTOS: 

1. Bobbie Friedman 

2. From left to right: Nick Visconti, Miggs Burroughs, Louise Fusco, board members of the Drew Friedman Community Arts Center Inc. – announcing the launch of Drew’s dream!

For more information email nickyv@optonline.net

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Submitted by Westport, CT

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