Category: projects

Spring into Music, Art, Food & Fun with the Artist Village

Norwalk 2.0 unveils spring line up of downtown boosting programming

In a true sense of spanning all multimedia options, Norwalk 2.0 announces several projects due for release this spring.

As part of the kick off to all of the fun, Norwalk 2.0 will be showing the world premiere of the trailer for Norwalk’s Future: Right Here, Right Now, a documentary about the past, present and future of downtown Norwalk, filmed and produced by The Preferred Group. Norwalk 2.0 will debut the movie trailer next Thursday April 3rd, as part of a downtown focused FUNdraiser. The festivities will be held from 7-9pm at Fat Cat Wine Room located at 3 Wall Street. Tickets are $25 in advance via website; $30 at the door.

At the event, Norwalk 2.0 will also talk about the upcoming Freese Park Artist Village project. Between May 29th and June 14th, six shipping containers will form the building blocks to an exciting three weekend event in the heart of Norwalk’s downtown riverfront. There is an open call for ideas, soliciting individuals and teams to propose projects that will be part of creating the village. The deadline for applications is April 15. More details are available at the Norwalk 2.0 website: norwalk2.org.

Showcasing murals in City Hall and the Norwalk Public Library, banners depicting highlights of the artworks along with historical facts will be installed on the fences at City Hall, East Wall Street, Freese Park and the Library. This outdoor fence exhibit will encourage people to take a stroll through the downtown and visit the collections at City Hall and the Library.

Accompanying the installation, a guidebook to the history of downtown Norwalk will tell the story through the centuries of its development. Dorothy Mobilia, longtime Norwalk resident and author of How Jimmy John won his Cloak of Freedom, contributed research and authored the historical narrative for the initiative.

Both projects, the fence exhibit and guidebook, will include downloadable resources from the Norwalk 2.0 web site, including a self guided walking tour.

Norwalk 2.0 has raised approximately 60% of the budget of $75,000 needed for programming activities for the Freese Park Artist Village project. All money has been raised thus far from State grants, private foundations and individual donations.

Join Norwalk 2.0 and friends to find out how you can be in the movie, be a part of the Freese Park Artist Village, and have a role in shaping Norwalk’s future.

“We’re excited about getting past the winter so we can launch some of our initiatives,” said Maribeth Becker, co-founder of Norwalk 2.0. “This spring will be awesome with something for everyone.”

“The surprising thing about Norwalk Center is its strong community,” said Jackie Lightfield, co-founder of Norwalk 2.0. “We had such overwhelming support last year, that we’re bringing back the chairs, bringing back the music, and bringing back the fun.”

Norwalk 2.0 has been working in partnership with the City of Norwalk, Department of Public Works, Department of Recreation, Parks and Culture, Norwalk Redevelopment Agency, Norwalk Public Library, Norwalk Preservation Trust and Norwalk Historical Society in efforts to leverage the interests and activities of the organizations in the area.

Norwalk 2.0 is part of a growing national movement that leverages art, technology and culture to increase social engagement and participation in communities through creative placemaking. Becker and Lightfield founded Norwalk 2.0 in the summer of 2010 to address needs in Norwalk after extensive work as civic leaders.

Norwalk 2.0’s mission is to engage residents, businesses and community organizations to work together and create an authentic, creative, economically diverse and sustainable future.