The Hopewell Valley Arts Council is thrilled to introduce our program to encourage and support our local artists — ArtConnect: Creating Opportunities for Artists.

Since the Hopewell Valley Arts Council’s inception in 2013, our mission has been to celebrate and create “art in the everyday,” and to nurture a vibrant, creative, and involved community — especially local artists. To that end, the Arts Council engaged the market research firm, Zeldis Research Associates, to conduct focus groups to help determine the art-related needs and desires of various sectors of our community. The results are clear: our artists need our help.

Artist Nancy Stark at Third Annual Amazing Pumpkin Carve, 10/11/17

Artists are unique individuals. They can experience the great joy of expressing their creativity. But most, over the course of their careers, face the challenges of finding the time and resources to make their art, coping with self-criticism, suffering creative blocks, often working in isolation, and striving to find avenues for selling their work or craft.

The HV Arts Council understands these struggles and the important role art plays in our community. Through this new program, the HV Arts Council is providing an environment for collaboration, feedback, learning, and idea sharing; creating opportunities to showcase artists and their work in our community; and coordinating resources and services useful to all artists — including the visual, musical, culinary, literary, performing arts — just to name a few.

ArtConnect members will promote their work and news with the public via our digital platforms and at local venues and shows. They’ll network and collaborate, mentor or teach emerging and young talent, and share and learn with a community of inspiring Hopewell Valley artists.

The centerpiece of the program is ArtConnect Forum, a gathering of fascinating people with big imaginations who can share their work, inspiration, and creative process. ArtConnect Forum is a collaborative, informative, and fun social setting, where attendees will be the first to hear about current art news and community art projects, and learn from creative guest speakers and other artists. The Forums will be held several times per year and are open to the public.  Additional ArtConnect initiatives will be rolled out during 2020 and 2021.