The Office of the Arts is deeply saddened by the recent passing of Dick Allen, a Trumbull resident who served as Connecticut’s Poet Laureate from 2010 – 2015. Mr. Allen served proudly as our state ambassador of poetry and was a regular in our office and at our events. He inspired us, he challenged us, and he consoled us with is wise and thoughtful words. Mr. Allen will always be remembered for his poem “A Simple Solemn Tribute to Sandy Hook”. He acknowledged the challenge of writing poetry in the face of tragedy. It was not uncommon for him take up to 30 years to write a poem and in most cases he would sit with a poem for 6 months to a year before sharing it with others. His poem commemorating the 9/11 tragedy took a number of years before Mr. Allen was able to find his natural voice and to express in writing his feelings and emotions of that day. As Poet Laureate we called upon him to share this poem at Connecticut’s 10 year commemorative ceremony at the Sherwood Island Living Memorial.
Mr. Allen was always at awe of the mini celebrity status that came with the “laureate” title, as if it possessed a little magic. And to all of us at the Connecticut Office of the Arts we feel we’ve been touched by this magic too. The opportunity to work with Dick Allen and all of our Poet Laureates is a great honor. Mr. Dick Allen will always be cherished by us and the arts community across the state.
Simple Solemn Tribute to Sandy Hook (reading by Dick Allen and “Solemn”composed by William Bolcom and performed by members of the St. Patrick/St. Anthony Church Gallery Choir)
CPTV interview with Dick Allen |
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2018 CONNECTICUT ARTS DAY SAVE THE DATE: APRIL 25, 2018 COA in partnership with the State’s nine Regional Service Organizations and the Connecticut Arts Alliance will presents Connecticut Arts Day 2018 on April 25, 2018! Connecticut Arts Day celebrates Connecticut’s investment in and support of the arts and reaffirms the significant role the arts play in our state. The day includes networking opportunities and a selection of workshops, performances, and interactive opportunities. The theme for 2018 will be Resiliency! Connecticut Arts Day 2018 will take place in the Hartford area. Stay tuned for more details! |
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ATTENTION ALL CONNECTICUT SINGER-SONGWRITERS! We are currently accepting nominations for the position of Connecticut State Troubadour. The State Troubadour serves as an ambassador of music and song and promotes cultural literacy among residents. An individual singer-songwriter must be nominated and deemed eligible to apply. The deadline for nominations has been extended to Monday, February 5, 2018. |
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KUDOS TO BONNIE KOBA AND AMY GOLDBAS! Our very own Arts in Education Program Manager Bonnie Koba, who serves as the Director of our Higher Order of Thinking (HOT) Schools program, and Amy Goldbas, Associate Director for Program Design for HOT Schools, will be honored with a Distinguished Art Advocate award at the Connecticut Art Education Association’s awards banquet in April. The Connecticut Art Education Association’s Distinguished Art Advocate award recognizes outstanding achievement and contributions in art education advocacy and is presented to individuals who work to support and improve art education and create a lasting impression on the future through visual arts education. The Connecticut Art Education Association, Inc., a state affiliate of the National Art Education Association, is a professional organization which represents the art teachers of the state. Its goals include promoting visual arts as an essential component of educational programs, improving the conditions of teaching art, and sharing and encouraging effective teaching practices in art education. |
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Connecticut’s Arts & Economic Prosperity 5 with Randy Cohen Tour was a big success!
We would like to thank everyone who was able to attend the event, especially Randy Cohen and the panelist for delivering information regarding the art’s involvement in our community. If you were not able to attend the event regarding the Arts & Economic Prosperity 5 report, please check out the AEP5 website. |
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