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In September, City Gallery presents WAX, new work by Roberta Friedman featuring encaustic work that finds its heart in the unexpected. The show runs September 8 - October 1, with an opening reception on Saturday, September 9, 4-6pm. Friedman will be in the Gallery on September 8, 9, 10 and October 1 to meet and talk with visitors.

All proceeds from sales during the show will go to KidneyCan (KidneyCan.org) in memory of the artist’s sister, Margo Wiener.

Consider WAX a visual workshop on making art with wax media — hot wax, cold wax, waxed oil pigments. Encaustic’s techniques are complex and demanding, requiring a host of special tools and materials. It includes layering, fusing with heat, mark making, gouging out, filling in, the emergence of design and color. The use of stencils creates images and surfaces, which are often obliterated to fashion something new and unexpected.

“The art of encaustic, hot wax painting, is ancient and exquisite,” says Friedman. “I am drawn to its nuances. It is messy but forgiving, technical but liberating. Painting with intense, vibrant hot wax blocks of color and with juicy oil pigment sticks allows my affinity for vivid color to run rampant. The continued effort is in containing and controlling that exuberance.”

As a young person Roberta studied art history and painting at the studios of Sebastiano Mineo in New York City. At Douglass College, Rutgers University , she continued her art studies in the studio art department that had been chaired and influenced by Roy Lichtenstein, and has continued to study at several studios and workshops in Philadelphia, Boston, New Mexico, Maine and Denver. More recently, she has explored the world of encaustics at the Denver Art Students League and the studio of Victoria Eubanks. After practicing law in New Haven for 30 years, Roberta continued with vigor and purpose to follow her passion for art and creating. She has been a member of City Gallery since 2011, and has exhibited her work in the greater New Haven area for the past 40 years. She has taught workshops and served on the board of Creative Arts Workshop, and has provided mentoring and instruction to children and adults in a wide range of artistic creations. Most recently, she has assisted area 4th - 7th graders in creating original artwork for greeting cards to be used to raise funds to help with Refugee Resettlement efforts in the greater New Haven area.

WAX is free and open to the public, and will be on view September 8 - October 1, with an opening reception on Saturday, September 9, 4-6pm. The artist will be in the Gallery on September 8, 9, 10 and October 1 to meet and talk with visitors. City Gallery is located at 994 State Street, New Haven, CT 06511. Gallery hours are Friday - Sunday, 12pm - 4 pm, or by appointment. For further information please contact City Gallery, info@city-gallery.org, www.city-gallery.org.

Hi community, I am lead organizer for SSCT and I want to update you on what we are doing because we need community involvement in your work for maximum success. Currently, we continue to work toward enforcement of the PROTECT Act, a piece of legislation passed in May, 2022 which focuses on two primary issues, ending the unchecked use of isolation within Ct jails, prisons and youth facilities and establishing independent oversight over Ct Dept of Corrections. Prolonged isolation causes deep psychological harm, in many cases, irreparable harm. It has been defined by the International community as torture and the younger the individual experiencing it the more likely the harm is irreparable. We also focusing the next legislative session in putting an end to routine invasive cavity strip searches which leaves lasting scars on the psyche of those who are being forced to endure it. Some are forced to endure several times in a day. There is so much information to give and I hope you will visit our website Stop Solitary Ct. org to be better informed about our work. Please consider signing onto our email list so you will know when we are hosting public events and hope you will join us in moving this work. When one is sentenced to prison abuse, neglect and dehumanization should not be part of that sentence. We expect people to return to their communities better than when they left. Way too many are returning broken spiritually, physically and emotionally. What happens during incarceration should matter to you. So long for now. Barb

We Love What Makes You Unique

Your perspective fuels our mission-driven work at United Way of Greater New Haven. We are committed to building a team that is inclusive across race, gender, age, religion, identity, and lived experience. As an organization, we are committed to addressing systemic racism and injustice in our community, our partnerships, and our practices. 

Who We Are Looking For

Are you committed to supporting infants and toddlers, their families, and the programs that serve them? Do you have deep knowledge of Early Head Start and/or Head Start requirements, and want to help community partners successfully incorporate Early Head Start services and systems into their early care and education programs? Are you a relationship-builder who looks for ways to connect programs and services so they work more effectively?  Do you have experience writing federal grant applications and working with the data, financial, and programmatic aspects of federal programs? If so, our Early Head Director position may be perfect for you.

What You Are Great At

• You are a strong Early Head Start/Head Start (EHS/HS) professional who has led a team. You are deeply familiar with the EHS/HS regulations and performance standards. You have experience supporting other staff to implement the various components of EHS/HS, and have monitored programs to ensure program quality.
• You are a detail-oriented planner who creates and thrives within systems. You relish creating and working to improve processes and systems and have experience in developing and running initiatives and programs related to early childhood. You know how to manage the details and logistics, while at the same time seeing how things connect to create a bigger whole.
• You are a strong communicator. You can convey your message clearly in writing and orally to a variety of audiences, including board members, partner staff, and parents.
• You’re a team player. The Early Head Director will report to the Vice President of Education and will work closely with other members of the Community Impact Team as well as external partners. While you are confident in your abilities and knowledge, you approach your work from a place of humility.

What You Will Do

• Ensure that Head Start Performance Standards are well‐known and supported and implemented across the program partners
• Support and monitor EHS partners to ensure compliance with all Head Start and Early Head Start funding source mandates, applicable laws and regulations and assure that standards are being fully met

• Conduct on-site visits to programs and plan and facilitate regular meetings with partners
• Review documentation and data, including working within the program’s COPA database
• Supervise EHS staff and consultants
• Manage all aspects of the EHS Policy Council, and work closely with the VP of Education to staff the UWGNH EHS Board Committee

• Meet with the finance staff on a regular basis or as needed to review and revise the budget as necessary in addition monitoring the budget as it relates to actual spending of Early Head Start funds.

• Work with local partners to expand services and supports available to EHS families
• Lead an annual self-assessment process for the program and develop annual plans for improvement; ensure that a community needs assessment is conducted as required.

• Recommend and implement changes as needed in program design, administration procedures, etc. as they affect program performance.
• Prepare and submit for approval necessary programmatic reports, forms, etc. as required by Federal, state, and local regulations.
• Establish and maintain partnerships with funding sources, other state and local agencies, organizations, groups, etc. as they relate to programmatic activities.
• Plan and coordinate shared governance training for Policy Council and Board of Directors as required.
• Plan, coordinate, develop, and implement annual refunding application.

What You Need

• Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in early childhood development or other relevant field.
• Three to five (3-5) years’ experience as a Head Start (EHS) Director of a small program, or significant senior management experience with a large Head Start (EHS) program.
• Substantive knowledge about the early childhood landscape in Connecticut and Early Head Start/Head Start.
• Strong written and oral communication skills.
• A successful track record in setting priorities, and keen analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills which support and enable sound decision making.
• Excellent relationship building skills with an ability to prioritize, negotiate, and work with a variety of internal and external stakeholders.
• Experience working with government grants a plus.

• Experience in grant writing and managing budgets.

• Proficient with MS Office365 and demonstrated comfort in learning new software/ online tools as needed.
• Ability to work with diverse staff and volunteers.
• Personal qualities of integrity, credibility, and dedication to the mission of UWGNH. 
• Valid driver's license and reliable transportation required.

About United Way

United Way of Greater New Haven brings people and organizations together to create solutions to Greater New Haven’s most pressing challenges in the areas of Education, Health, and Financial Stability grounded in racial and social justice. We tackle issues that cannot be solved by any one group working alone. We operate according to these organizational values.

In accordance with organizational policies, this position requires a criminal background check as a condition of employment.

United Way staff are currently working hybrid, with at least two days per week in our office in New Haven.  This is a full-time position; the salary range for this position is $65,000 - $75,000.

United Way is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Don’t check off every box in the requirements listed above? Please apply anyway! Studies have shown that marginalized communities - such as women, LGBTQ+ and people of color - are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. United Way of Greater New Haven is dedicated to building an inclusive, diverse, equitable, and accessible workplace that fosters a sense of belonging – so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to still consider submitting an application. You may be just the right candidate for this role or another one of our openings!

 To apply: United Way Of Greater New Haven Inc - Early Head Start Director (paylocity.com)

Director of Early Childhood Initiatives

We Love What Makes You Unique

Your perspective fuels our mission-driven work at United Way of Greater New Haven. We are committed to building a team that is inclusive across race, gender, age, religion, identity, and lived experience. As an organization, we are committed to addressing systemic racism and injustice in our community, our partnerships, and our practices. 

Who We Are Looking For

Are you passionate about working towards a world where all children can grow, learn, and thrive, beginning at birth? Do you have a deep understanding of the early childhood landscape in Greater New Haven, and do you want to use that knowledge to build a better early childhood system, enhance the quality of early learning opportunities available in our community, and expand access to programs and supports for young children and their families? Are you a strategic thinker who enjoys entrepreneurial opportunities grounded in community and collaboration?  

If so, our Director of Early Childhood Initiatives position may be perfect for you.

What You Are Great At

• You are a strategic thinker and problem-solver. You have strong analytical and strategic planning skills and enjoy creating solutions to sticky problems. You are comfortable using data to develop new programs and improve existing ones, and you don’t get easily discouraged or flustered when programs or initiatives take unexpected paths or hit roadblocks.
• You excel at managing complex community initiatives and building a sense of team without direct-line authority. You see the value in working through collective impact efforts and have experience working on multi-faceted community change initiatives. Your communication skills and emotional intelligence help you build the relationships needed to bring people together, and keep them working together, even when it is hard. You have experience building teams across sectors and organizations, and you are committed to contributing to a positive organizational culture that values diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.
• You are a doer who can see the big picture while also attending to the details. You have experience in developing and running initiatives and programs related to early childhood. You know how to manage the details and logistics, while at the same time seeing how things connect to create a bigger whole.
• You’re a team player. The Director of Early Childhood Initiatives will report to the Vice President of Education and will work closely with other members of the Community Impact Team as well as external partners. While you are confident in your abilities and knowledge, you approach your work from a place of humility.

What You Will Do

• Lead a community planning process to identify needs and opportunities to make early care and education in New Haven higher quality and more accessible. Responsibilities include creating and managing an advisory group for the project, gathering and analyzing data, conducting focus groups and community conversations, producing a written plan, and identifying top priorities for implementation.
• Implement strategies identified in the planning process. Working in partnership with community organizations, pilot new ways to increase access to early care and education, support program viability, and improve program quality. Manage evaluation activities, including data collection and analysis, and produce reports around results.
• Lead grantmaking efforts to expand the ability of early care and education programs to serve more children and families in New Haven. Conduct a Request for Proposal process using American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, lead the review process to identify successful applicants, and support grantees with implementation.
• Lead United Way’s Secure Start Initiative. Organize the Secure Start Network’s quarterly meetings; manage trainers, partners, and data collection activities; identify opportunities for expansion; and produce materials around lessons learned and impact.
• Create opportunities to help more children in our region get the foundation they need in their early years. Create connections with statewide and community groups working on early childhood issues; identify and help secure possible new funding sources; and mobilize community members to become advocates for greater public investment in early childhood programs.
• Gather and share data and stories about your work in early care and education with community members, funders, and supporters to galvanize ongoing and increased investment in early care and education.

What You Need

• Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree.
• At least 7 years of non-profit experience, with at least 3 years’ experience managing complex community initiatives.
• Substantive knowledge about the early childhood landscape in Connecticut.
• Strong written and oral communication skills.
• A successful track record in setting priorities, and keen analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills which support and enable sound decision making.
• Excellent relationship building skills with an ability to prioritize, negotiate, and work with a variety of internal and external stakeholders.
• Experience working with government departments and grants, individual donors, and/or foundations a plus.

• Experience in fundraising, grant writing, and fiscal management

• Proficient with MS Office365 and demonstrated comfort in learning new software/ online tools as needed.
• Ability to work with diverse staff and volunteers.
• Personal qualities of integrity, credibility, and dedication to the mission of UWGNH. 
• Valid driver's license and reliable transportation required.

About United Way

United Way of Greater New Haven brings people and organizations together to create solutions to Greater New Haven’s most pressing challenges in the areas of Education, Health, and Financial Stability grounded in racial and social justice. We tackle issues that cannot be solved by any one group working alone. We operate according to these organizational values.

In accordance with organizational policies, this position requires a criminal background check as a condition of employment.

United Way staff are currently working hybrid, with at least two days per week in our office in New Haven.  This is a full-time position; the salary range for this position is $65,000 - $75,000.

United Way is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Don’t check off every box in the requirements listed above? Please apply anyway! Studies have shown that marginalized communities - such as women, LGBTQ+ and people of color - are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. United Way of Greater New Haven is dedicated to building an inclusive, diverse, equitable, and accessible workplace that fosters a sense of belonging – so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to still consider submitting an application. You may be just the right candidate for this role or another one of our openings!

 To apply:  United Way Of Greater New Haven Inc - Director of Early Childhood Initiatives Application (paylocity.com)

 Organization

Long Wharf Theatre (LWT) is embarking on an unprecedented journey, building a theatre company that can belong to the people of the city and region, centering possibility as a guiding ethos with an unwavering commitment to creating a boundary-breaking theatre with, for, and by the people to reimagine the experiment that is the American theatre.

Located in New Haven Connecticut, LWT was established in 1965 on a dream of starting a professional theatre company in Connecticut. The guiding ethos for LWT is “Theatre is for everyone.” This ethos is supported by a commitment to a culture of collaboration, equity, and inclusion and enriching the community through programs and partnerships to engage audiences of all ages. The 2022-2023 season included new play readings with Black Trans Women at the Center, a work-in-process sharing of Dignity, Always Dignity; a concert reading of Jelly’s Last Jam; a play reading of Flying Bird’s Diary; I AM: Muslin/American film and dialogue, a production of Live From the Edge, and Kristina Wong for Public Office.

Long Wharf Theatre is seizing the change sweeping across American theatre, facing head-on both the provocative questions and new opportunities these times demand. In 2022, LWT departed from its longtime space at Sargent Drive to bring theatre to spaces and stages around the Greater New Haven area. The company is embedded within the city, making the work more accessible to the entire community. This departure from anchoring performances to a single space is shaping a new model of theatre that engages all people and actively builds bridges to those who have historically not been in relationship to LWT.

Long Wharf Theatre is driven to be an exemplar in using the power of theatre to strengthen communities through its work onstage and offstage. It is committed to a culture of inclusion and anti-racism that inspires fellowship; sharing stories that provoke empathy, acceptance, and understanding; removing real or perceived barriers to learning and discourse; seeking renovated or new facilities that are inviting to all members of its expansive community; uncovering contemporary resonance in classic works; and nurturing new voices to help make sense of our times. In its next chapter, LWT will use the power of theatre to build bridges, spur new thinking, and excite our collective imagination through performance, education, and community partnership.

LWT has a 22-member board of directors led by Chair Nancy Alexander, Jacob G. Padrón as Artistic Director, and Kit Ingui as Managing Director. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, LWT reported a total revenue of $3,070,000 with $2.87M from contributions, grants, and endowment disbursements and $200,000 from program services.

Community

New Haven is the cultural capital of Connecticut—a vibrant and welcoming community that celebrates arts and culture as catalysts for civic engagement and spiritual uplift. Founded in 1638 and one of the first planned cities in America, New Haven is home to Yale University, whose presence offers access to top notch medical care at Yale New Haven Hospital, renowned art museums, music, theatre, and lectures featuring internationally known speakers. Greater New Haven hosts a rich diversity of higher education institutions, including Quinnipiac University, Wesleyan University, University of New Haven, Southern Connecticut State University, Albertus Magnus College, and Gateway Community College.

A coastal city with New England charm and a distinct cosmopolitan influence, New Haven has a population of nearly 130,000 residents and is ranked among U.S. News & World Report’s 100 best places to live. New Haven is recognized as a city of innovation and prosperity with a small town feel. New Haven Green, a privately owned park and recreation area, remains a social center. As the birthplace of a wide variety of inventions—from the frisbee to the hamburger—it is no surprise that New Haven’s entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well, whether in the start-ups at Science Park or the craft breweries and artisanal bakeries appearing in once-abandoned warehouses. The local economy is defined by health care and social services. There is a strong tech community and a world-renowned architecture and design sector with principals like César Pelli. Yale University and Yale New Haven Hospital provide many of the area's job opportunities, attracting highly specialized physicians, researchers, and academics.

New Haven is also a welcoming city to immigrants and, as result, has seen a growing population in contrast to some other places in Connecticut and the Northeast. In fact, a recent study by FiveThirtyEight that reviewed the education level, age, and ethnic diversity of every metropolitan area in the United States concluded that, of any place in America, New Haven most accurately reflects the demographics of the country as a whole in those areas. Demographically, the city is approximately 35% Black or African-American, 32% white, 27% Hispanic or Latino, 5% Asian or Pacific Islander, 0.5% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 4% of people who identify as two or more races. Its surrounding region of 860,000 residents is 65% white, 14% Black or African American, 17% Hispanic or Latino, 4% Asian or Pacific Islander, 0.5% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 2% claiming two or more races. The changing face of America is personified in New Haven.

Sources: bls.gov; usnews.com; gnhcc.com; fivethirtyeight.com

Position Summary

The Director of Marketing and Communications, in partnership with the Artistic Director and Managing Director, will create the most compelling narrative to tell the exciting new story of Long Wharf Theatre. This person will use innovative tools and initiatives to communicate the message that LWT makes exciting art and tells impactful stories that are for everyone. The Director of Marketing is an extension of the company’s artistic leadership and will work in deep partnership with the entire artistic staff. Reporting to the Artistic Director and the Managing Director and working closely with the senior leadership team, the Director of Marketing and Communications will ensure that all advertising campaigns, external messaging, and collateral materials fully represent the mission, vision, and values of LWT. They will develop brand awareness and will create and implement innovative initiatives to drive earned revenue through ticket sales. This individual will be a bridge builder who creates accessible pathways to underrepresented audiences, with the goal of radical inclusion in all marketing materials, social media platforms, and press strategies. They will create strategies to enhance relationships with existing members and subscribers while simultaneously inviting and encouraging them to join Long Wharf on its journey. They will be instrumental in supporting and communicating the theatre’s work in all areas of inclusion and anti-racism. This individual will speak with the voice of New Haven, have the capacity to represent that voice externally, and be a central hub for communication materials across all departments.

Roles and Responsibilities

Community Visibility and Earned Revenue

• Actively collaborate with the Artistic Director on artistic programming and season planning.
• Create a strategic marketing and communication plan to support all LWT’s initiatives.
• Support marketing and communication efforts across the organization, including development, education, and community partnership needs.
• Manage content and messaging for website and digital communications, including targeted email marketing, video production, and social media.
• Serve as the brand manager and develop key messages for all of LWT’s external communications.
• Provide leadership in the creation of visual assets that dynamically tell the story of LWT’s programming, new play development programs, and membership /fundraising campaigns.
• Cultivate opportunities for audience development and community connections that serve and engage underrepresented and marginalized audiences.
• Direct the implementation of an integrated marketing strategy and sales plan to support subscription, single ticket, and group sales goals through traditional tactics as well as in contemporary channels of digital media, direct response, and out-of-home advertising.
• Ensure that the highest level of customer service is delivered during all moments of the patron experience by proactively managing the Box Office and Front of House team.
• Guide all media relations, including writing and approving press releases, providing timely responses to media requests, and generating consistent local, regional, and national media interest.
• Represent LWT as a media spokesperson, as deemed appropriate by the Managing Director and Artistic Director.
• Negotiate media placement, marketing sponsorships, and promotional partnerships.
• Embrace other community visibility and earned revenue responsibilities as needed.

Data Analytics and Financial Accountability

• Regularly conduct and analyze audience and market research to assess audience satisfaction, understand demographic and psychographic profiles, and hone tactics for increasing audience size and market footprint.
• Prepare annual income goals for earned revenue with the Managing Director.
• Create and manage expense budgets for all ticket sales campaigns, institutional marketing, and other related expenses.
• Monitor sales, forecast revenue, and provide analysis of season and single ticket sales throughout the season.
• Recommend appropriate demand-based pricing adjustments resulting from sales analysis.
• Initiate additional promotions for events that experience lagging sales in a committed effort to achieve attendance and revenue goals.
• Establish standardized reporting metrics to provide business intelligence regarding direct response rates and website data analytics.
• Embrace other data analytics and financial accountability responsibilities as needed.

Team Building and Internal Communication

• Manage the performance of and inspire a results-driven environment for the marketing and communications team.

• Effectively delegate, actively initiate, and personally complete marketing projects.
• Establish and maintain productive and collaborative working relationships with senior staff and board members.
• Collaborate with the Director of Development to ensure necessary support for Long Wharf Theatre’s fundraising and organizational advancement initiatives.
• Provide strategic marketing and public relations support for all education and community partnership programs.
• Share research and results, revenue and expense projections, and other marketing updates with the marketing team, senior staff, and board committees as required.
• Embrace other team building and internal communication responsibilities as needed.

Traits and Characteristics

Long Wharf Theatre is looking to build a boundary-breaking future and is seeking a visionary leader to support the company’s evolution. As the company enters a new era, the Director of Marketing and Communications will lead from a place of collaboration. They will provide focused and strategic leadership that is grounded in creativity, rigor, curiosity, and joy. Guided by the core pillars of artistic innovation, radical inclusion, and kaleidoscopic partnerships, they will exhibit a commitment to life-long learning with a healthy disregard for the status quo and a relentless curiosity. The Director of Marketing and Communications will be hungry to think outside the box and have a passion for activating fresh and potent channels of communication with a vast variety of people. They will boldly and effectively message the unique role LWT plays in the dynamic civic life of the city. This individual will be a collaborative senior leader and an organized project manager with a robust understanding of organizational culture and change management. The Director of Marketing and Communications will be a participative manager who inspires a team by modeling behavior that achieves revenue goals through integrated marketing plans and a commitment to reaching new audiences. They will keep integrity in sharp focus at all times and effectively communicate with judicious directness, both internally and externally.

Other key competencies include:

• Collaboration – The capability to work empathetically and effectively with others towards a common goal that benefits the team.
• Creativity and Innovation – The ability to imagine, research, and implement new approaches, processes, and systems to achieve organizational goals. A willingness to suggest calculated risks as an active pathway to reach beyond what has been accomplished in the past.
• Project Management, Planning, and Organizing – The capacity to develop procedures, processes, and systems for order, accuracy, efficiency, and productivity and to deliver desired outcomes within allotted timeframes.
• Diplomacy – The facility to demonstrate superior cultural competence and awareness; effectively communicate with people across hierarchical and functional boundaries; understand cultural climate and organizational issues; and build rapport while displaying a sincere interest in the professional success of others.
• Customer Focused – The clarity to anticipate internal and external customer needs, wants, and expectations and to demonstrate initiative and willingness to work with the goal of meeting or exceeding those needs.
• Goal Orientation – The integrity to take ownership of situations, accept responsibility for actions and results, and prioritize and complete tasks necessary to meet deadlines and achieve revenue goals.
• Flexibility – The agility to embrace and implement change when needed, serving as an inspiring leader.

Qualifications

A minimum of five to seven years of leadership experience in the field of marketing, public relations, and communications with increasing financial responsibilities is required. Experience in interpreting statistical data that advances decision making and a demonstrable track record of earned revenue results are also necessary. Excellent verbal, written, and listening communication skills are critical to success in the role. A nuanced understanding of inclusion and anti-racism with demonstrated leadership will be essential. The Director of Marketing and Communications will be an enthusiastic supporter of the theatre arts with a proven track record of success.

Compensation and Benefits

Long Wharf Theatre offers a starting salary range of $95,000 to $100,000, commensurate with experience. Benefits include paid time off, health insurance, dental insurance, short- and long-term disability, and life insurance.

Applications and Inquiries

To submit a cover letter and resume with a summary of demonstrable accomplishments, please click here or visit artsconsulting.com/opensearches. For questions or general inquiries about this job opportunity, please contact us at:

Jenna Deja, Vice President

201 West Lake Street, Suite 133

Chicago, IL 60606-1803

Tel       (888) 234.4236 Ext. 227

Email    LongWharf@ArtsConsulting.com

Land Acknowledgement

We acknowledge that indigenous peoples and nations have for generations stewarded the lands and waterways of what we now call the state of Connecticut. We honor and respect the enduring relationship that exists between these peoples and nations and this land. We are standing on the unceded territory of the Paugussett, Quinnipiac, and Wappinger peoples. We remind ourselves that along with stolen land came stolen people. It is our responsibility to the future to know our past.

Long Wharf Theatre is an equal opportunity employer that welcomes and values diversity, inclusion, and equity in all forms.

Hello Community Organizers and Groups!

We’d like to share an opportunity from the Supporting Organizing Work Connecticut (SOW-CT) funder collaborative → Round 2 of the SOW-CT Rest and Renewal Grants Program available to community organizing groups is live!

We’ve been listening to organizers: organizing is hard work and often it is challenging to get funding for wellness and capacity building. This program is meant to get money into your hands for these purposes.

Who is this opportunity for?

Are you a BILPOC-led group involved with grassroots organizing? Is your organization low on resources (do you have a small staff, rely heavily on volunteers, little to no back-office administration, staff development, or supervision capacity)? This opportunity is for you!

How much support is available?

Each request has a limit of $2,000. Groups may make more than one request per year, limited to a maximum of $6,000 per year. There is currently a $25,000 pool this round.

The Funders Collaborative has raised $100,000 to launch additional rounds. The plan is to launch a 2^nd and 3^rd round this summer with a $25,000 pool each round ($50,000 total). There will be a pause in the summer for reflection and revisions to the process. Please be on the lookout for an invitation to an input session with funders during this time. By November, plans for the remaining $50,000 will be available.

Who is eligible to apply?

We are looking to support groups that align with the criteria below:

• BILPOC organizers and BILPOC-led groups, working with BILPOC folks
• Those doing organizing work (such as community organizing, activism and advocacy, or electoral engagement)
• Those working on grassroots efforts (working primarily with residents, parents, youth, students rather than organizations, professions, congregations, unions, etc.)
• Low or under-resourced organizations/groups

Types of supports can you request funding for?

What do we mean by wellness and capacity building support? We are open to what you – our partners in this work – identify as a need to achieve your organizing goals. Here are some examples:

• Staff retreat needs – facilitator, facilities/space, etc.
• Conflict resolution within your group or with external partners and allies
• Yoga sessions for your staff team
• Conference registration, travel and lodging
• Therapist costs for an organizer
• Trainings and professional development

Feel free to request funds for what you feel will strengthen and support the goals of grassroots organizing groups/organizations – you do not need to stick to our examples.

Interested?

To put in a request, please fill out this short application form.  The deadline for the first month of this program is August 14, 2023, but we encourage folks to apply as soon as possible –  we will accept applications on a rolling basis and make decisions by the end of each month.

For more information, feel free to email Alexis Bivens at sow-ct@ctfunders.org.

DAE is currently seeking applicants for our fall high school after-school and adult technology education programs. Our programs are 100% free of charge and offer students in-depth training in Computer Science. We seek to create college and career readiness particularly within communities that have been historically marginalized and under-resourced. No prior experience or expertise is required for any of our programs — just the desire to learn and create! All of our programs happen at our downtown New Haven location, very close to the Green and central bus hubs.

Our after-school program runs from September 11, 2023 to June 8, 2024. We meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:30-6:30PM, with an optional lab day on Wednesdays. The program consists of 8 modules. The first two give students the basics they need to get started, then they will choose a technical track to really go deep into either Website Development, Video Game Design or Internet-Of-Things. Students will be learning by doing, creating their own projects and developing their own ideas in a highly collaborative and welcoming environment. Students will also create a portfolio that can easily be shared with prospective employers and college admissions offices. 

Our adult program is primarily for New Haven residents, ages 18-28 years old (some exceptions can be made to this but placements are very limited and prioritized to this demographic for the time being). It is a full-time program, meeting three days per week from 11AM-5PM, from October-January (exact dates to be confirmed shortly). Students will learn the basics of web development and then choose a technical track in either front or back-end development (highly motivated students can do both tracks simultaneously). Students will develop a portfolio of their work that can easily be shared with prospective employers.

Further information can be found on the attached PDF flyers and prospective students can inquire about applying to the programs via these links:

High School After-School Program here

Adult Program here

2023-24_DAE_HS_After-School.pdf

DAE_Adult_Program.pdf

Email me directly at stefan@mydae.org

The Tony Award-winning Eugene O’Neill Theater Center seeks a dynamic individual for the role of Artistic Director of the National Playwrights Conference, taking the helm of this storied new play development program as it enters its sixtieth year in operation.

Organization

The Eugene O’Neill Theater Center (the O’Neill) is the country’s preeminent organization dedicated to the development of new works and new voices for the stage. Founded in 1964 by George C. White and named in honor of Eugene O’Neill, four-time Pulitzer Prize-winner and America’s only playwright to win the Nobel Prize in Literature, the O'Neill has launched some of the most important voices and works in American theater and has revolutionized the way new work is developed. In the ground-breaking spirit of its namesake, the O’Neill champions, develops, and empowers new work, new voices, and creative risk-taking. By introducing innovative artists, essential to broadening the national cultural landscape, the O’Neill serves as the Launchpad of the American Theater. From its campus in Waterford, Connecticut, the O’Neill has been home to more than 1,000 new works for the stage and thousands more emerging artists.

O’Neill programs include the National Playwrights Conference, National Music Theater Conference, National Critics Institute, National Puppetry Conference, Cabaret & Performance Conference, and National Theater Institute. Writers, directors, puppeteers, singers, students, and audiences alike take their first steps in exploring, revising, and understanding their work and the potential of the theater they help create. Scores of projects developed at the O’Neill have gone on to full production at theaters around the world. Work first performed at the O'Neill have gone on to regional theaters, Broadway, film, and television. Staff and alumni from the O'Neill have won every major award in theater arts. The O'Neill itself is the recipient of two Tony Awards, in 2010 for Regional Theatre and in 1979 for Theatrical Excellence. Additionally, the O’Neill has received the National Opera Award, the Jujamcyn Award of Theater Excellence, and the Arts and Business Council Encore Award. In September 2016, the O'Neill was awarded the National Medal of Arts by President Obama in a White House ceremony celebrating the O'Neill's contribution to American culture.

Among the hundreds of plays and musicals developed and premiered at the O'Neill are such notable works as John Guare's The House Of Blue Leaves; Brian Crawley and Jeanine Tesori's Violet; Wendy Wasserstein's Uncommon Women and Others; August Wilson's Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, Fences, and The Piano Lesson; Lee Blessing's A Walk In The Woods; Nine by Arthur Kopit, Mario Fratti, and Maury Yeston; Avenue Q by Robert Lopez, Jeff Marx, and Jeff Whitty; In the Heights by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Quiara Alegría Hudes; [title of show] by Jeff Bowen and Hunter Bell; and Jennifer Haley's The Nether.

Tiffani Gavin serves as the O’Neill’s Executive Director, joining in September 2020 after leadership roles at Clear Channel Entertainment and the American Repertory Theater, overseeing a staff of 38 full-time employees. The 32-member Board of Trustees is chaired by Tom Viertel, a Tony Award winning producer and the former Executive Director of the Commercial Theater Institute. For the fiscal year ending August 30, 2022, the O’Neill reported a total revenue of $5.1 million, with $3 million in contributions and grants and $2 million from programs and services. Total expenses were $5.4 million. 

Community

The O’Neill gratefully acknowledges that its campus sits on land stewarded and cared for by the Mohegan, Mashantucket Pequot, Eastern Pequot, and Nehantic tribes for generations. They honor and respect these nations, peoples, and their enduring relationship to this land. The town of Waterford, Connecticut is located in New London County, in the southeastern part of the state, and is surrounded by water on three sides. According to the American Community Survey of November 2022, Waterford has a population of 19,558 people, of whom 83% are white, 6% Black, 5% Hispanic, 3% AAPI, and 3% two or more races. The median household income is $67,333. 

Waterford and the surrounding area have a diverse economy with various industries contributing to its growth including healthcare, education, and manufacturing sectors. The Lawrence + Memorial Hospital is one of the major employers and the area is also home to several educational institutions, including Connecticut College, the Coast Guard Academy, the University of Connecticut Avery Point campus, and Mitchell College. Manufacturing companies, particularly in the fields of pharmaceuticals, technology, and defense, are significant contributors to the local economy. Additionally, Waterford benefits from its proximity to the neighboring cities of New London and Groton, which are known for their naval and submarine manufacturing industries. This provides employment opportunities for Waterford residents as well.

Waterford offers a high quality of life to its residents. The town has a suburban feel with a mix of residential areas, commercial districts, and natural landscapes. Waterford is located along the coastline, providing beautiful views and access to beaches. The Niantic Bay and Long Island Sound offer recreational opportunities for boating, fishing, and other water activities.

Waterford has a well-regarded public school system and also has numerous parks, walking trails, and recreational facilities that promote an active lifestyle. Residents can enjoy a balance between the tranquility of suburban living and the convenience of nearby cities. Waterford has a strong community focus and supports local arts and culture. The town hosts annual events such as the Waterford Arts & Crafts Festival, which showcases the work of local artisans. There are also community centers and organizations that offer art classes, music lessons, and other cultural programs.

Sources: ctvisit.com, waterfordct.org; towncharts.com; censusreporter.org; areavibes.com; datausa.io; point2homes.com

Position Summary

The Artistic Director of the National Playwrights Conference (NPC) reports to the O’Neill’s Executive Director and leads and represents the NPC while in residence at the O’Neill’s campus in Waterford, CT, during the five weeks of the conference each summer and throughout the rest of the year. They will build upon NPC’s leadership in the field of new play development. The Artistic Director of the NPC will be responsible for setting short, medium, and long-term goals that align with the Executive Director’s and board’s vision for the O’Neill as a whole and must be available for quarterly board meetings (at least two of four each year). It is expected that the Artistic Director of the NPC will work collaboratively with their fellow Artistic Directors and programs, of which the NPC overlaps directly with the National Music Theater Conference, the National Theater Institute, and the National Critics Institute, to find synergies and best use of shared spaces.

Role and Responsibilities

Artistic Leadership and Process

• Create the application guidelines for prospective applicants each fall in partnership with the O’Neill’s literary office. (B. The O’Neill is firmly committed to an open submissions policy for its applicants, with specific guidelines and processes to be shaped by the Artistic Director.)
• Provide artistic leadership in the selection process for the Conference, including establishing the group of readers and guidelines for the reading process that value how new writers are addressing form and content and includes a diversity of writing styles.
• Finalize, for the Executive Director’s approval, a slate of six to eight pieces for each summer’s Conference, reflecting the broad range of styles, perspectives, and voices in the American theater.
• Champion equity, diversity, inclusion, and access strategies, in alignment with the O’Neill’s mission and values, both through the work chosen and the artists and staff employed.

Teaching and Community Building

• Attend the National Theater Institute each fall and spring semester for four to seven days to teach, lead a directing workshop, or guide a related seminar.
• Maintain and increase active contacts and outreach to both notable and early career artists and peer programs across the national landscape.
• Create and/or sustain a nationally visible presence by developing and nurturing relationships with new and established playwrights and other artists.
• Serve as a key spokesperson, representative, and ambassador for the NPC.
• Take an active role in the wider community and cultivate key relationships and associations with regional and national centers of influence.

Revenue Enhancement, Fiscal Oversight, and Marketing

• Participate in fundraising for the NPC and the O’Neill, including meetings with funders, attending events, and introducing potential funders to the O’Neill.
• Support the financial health of the organization by working in partnership with the Executive Director and senior staff to develop and track budgets and accounting systems that support the work of the Conference.
• Collaborate closely with the Director of External Relations to promote the NPC across platforms.

Conference Hiring, Project Casting, and Production Support

• Foster a work environment prioritizing and modeling the O’Neill’s core values in collaboration with the other conferences.
• Consult with the Line Producer to hire the NPC’s stage managers and other NPC-specific personnel with the intention to build and maintain a diverse team.
• Collaborate with the playwrights to identify and select the directors, designers, and casts for their respective plays.
• Partner with the Line Producer, General Manager, Production Manager, and other staff on all logistical details of the Conference.

Traits and Characteristics

The Artistic Director of the National Playwrights Conference will be an artist of eclectic taste and sound judgement, with an extensive network in the theatrical community. The successful candidate will be able to guide the Conference with equanimity, addressing unexpected events fairly and decisively and defusing any conflicts. While prioritizing the playwrights, they will also consider and support the needs of the staff.

Other key competencies include:

• Diplomacy – The ability to handle difficult or sensitive issues effectively and tactfully.
• Teamwork and Appreciating Others –The facility to collaborate, encourage, and cooperate with others to meet objectives using a human centered lens and honoring the lived experiences of their collaborators.
• Resiliency and Flexibility – The ability to recover quickly from adversity, and to readily modify, respond, and adapt to change with minimal resistance.
• Decision Making and Project Management - The capability to make prompt, sound decisions while identifying and overseeing all resources, tasks, systems, and people to obtain results.

Qualifications

The National Playwrights Conference does not require a minimum number of years of experience or specific educational credentials. Qualified candidates must possess dramaturgical skills and substantial experience with new play development as well as strong relationships with established and new playwrights across form and genre. Producing experience and a network of existing relationships and connections to artists, patrons, and audiences across the country are desired. They should demonstrate an active commitment to inclusion, diversity, equity, accessibility, anti-bias, and anti-racism policies. Experience partnering with fundraising teams is preferred. The position requires flexible work hours reflective of the dynamic schedule. Candidates with currently atypical paths toward artistic leadership are encouraged to apply (e.g., dramaturgs, literary managers, artistic program administrators, independent producers, freelance directors, playwrights, etc.).

Compensation and Benefits

The O’Neill provides a competitive salary of $40,000 - $48,000 based on the position’s seasonal workflow, that varies throughout the year. Benefits of health, dental, and 403(b) are included. The Artistic Director position offers great flexibility and candidates are free to pursue other endeavors throughout the year, though such endeavors cannot conflict with leading the NPC. While the Artistic Director need not relocate to Waterford or Connecticut, they must be in residence at the O’Neill for the National Playwrights Conference. Housing and meals at the O’Neill are provided during the Conference.

Applications and Inquiries

To submit a cover letter and resume with a summary of demonstrable accomplishments (electronic submissions preferred), please click here or visit artsconsulting.com/employment. For questions or general inquiries about this job opportunity, please contact:

Geoff Chang, Vice President

Flora Stamatiades, Associate Vice President

1040 First Avenue, Suite 352

New York, NY 10022-2991

Tel       (888) 234.4236 Ext. 218 (Chang) or Ext. 238 (Stamatiades)

Email    EugeneONeill@ArtsConsulting.com

The Eugene O’Neill Theater Center is committed to diversifying the future of the American theater through the stories we tell, the artists telling those stories, the staff supporting our work, and the audiences in our theaters. The O’Neill strives to cultivate a healthy and diverse community that recognizes the value of each individual and helps foster safety, civility, and respect for all people. All participants and employees in any O’Neill program, including students, staff, faculty, guests, and visitors, have the right to be free from racial, sexual and gender-based discrimination, harassment, and violence and all other forms of prohibited conduct.