Press
Release -
January 30, 2007
The Mayor’s Advisory Commission on the Arts and Culture
met last week to discuss and approve its mission statement and to unveil its
new logo. The logo was developed by
Gabriela Strbikova, a student at the Norwalk Community College from the Czech
Republic. She worked with Commission members Joe Fucigna, Dennis Bradbury, and
Chairwoman Becki Christopherson, and called the process “a great learning
experience.” She adds, “We wanted to
create a design which would be modern, clean, and minimal while at the same
time expressing the serious and sophisticated nature of the Commission in it’s
work and influence on the community. Also we wanted to express connection,
freedom, continuity, and movement. I think that we were successful in putting
all those factors in the logo.” Growing
up in a farmhouse in a little village in the Czech Republic, she was surrounded
by nature, fields, animals, and old traditions. “Looking back,” she says, “this
was the origin of my desire to work in the arts.” Of her studies at the college, she says, ”I was particularly
happy to have the opportunity to study Art/Graphic Design at Norwalk Community
College. Throughout the three years there every course opened my mind and eyes.
To be able to live close to New York City and its rich culture also influenced
my education.” In December 2006
Gabriela graduated from NCC in Graphic Design and transferred to Purchase
College for Printmaking program to finish her B.F.A.
The Vision Statement
created by the Commission, “Connecting the Arts with the Audience” succinctly
summarizes the main goal of the Commission.
Created in May, 2006 by Mayor Richard Moccia, the Commission works
under the auspices of the Department of Recreation and Parks and Culture. The
Mission Statement further elaborates its purpose: “to identify, connect and
empower the city’s diverse artistic community, to promote, support, and preserve
the arts and culture in Norwalk by utilizing private, public, and government
resources, and to sustain and build the vibrant artistic community in Norwalk.”
Ms. Christopherson, who is also the CEO of the Talent Education Suzuki School
in Norwalk said, “It was an exciting process to go through. As a new organization,
we really needed to take the time to identify exactly what our focus was.
We had a long list of verbs that we edited to get to the heart of what
the Commission is all about.” The
Commission currently maintains a monthly city calendar of arts and cultural
events on the city’s website (http://www.norwalkct.org/citycals.htm).
Future plans include encouraging collaboration between the city’s many talented
artists from both the discipline of performing arts as well as visual arts
as well as enhancing the summer music offerings already in place through the
Department of Recreation and Parks and Culture. For more information on the Commission or to join a committee, please
contact Commission Chairwoman, Becki Christopherson at 203.354.2740.
