Ridgefield Arts Council Sets Plans For Scholarships And Spring Events

RIDGEFIELD, CT — The Ridgefield Arts Council on Feb. 4 voted to purchase advertising for the upcoming CHIRP concert season, adjust its May meeting schedule to accommodate a spring arts event, and continue planning for scholarships and community programming.

The council approved spending $275 for a half-page advertisement in the CHIRP playbill. The motion was made by Nick Catino and seconded by Renee Brown-Cheng. The vote was unanimous.
Members also voted to move their May meeting to either April 28 or April 29, pending space availability at Town Hall, to accommodate the annual Behind the Scenes event at the Ridgefield Playhouse. Secretary Danielle Roth made the motion, seconded by Tracey Bryggman, and it passed unanimously.

The Playhouse has tentatively held May 6 for the Behind the Scenes event, with May 7 preferred if scheduling allows. The date will be confirmed once availability is finalized. A small rental fee is expected.

Planning is also underway for the Nancy Comstock Andrews Award. Council members discussed former recipients and potential nominees and said they expect to decide on this year’s honoree at the March meeting. Organizations will be contacted this month to submit nominations.

The council reported that the Spring 2026 scholarship application is open, with a March 20 deadline. Members were asked to promote the opportunity through schools, town communications and social media. Plans for a scholarship fundraiser are also moving forward, with a potential March 26 event at the Lantern under consideration. Next steps include confirming a venue, securing a jazz band and visual artists for a raffle, and coordinating marketing.

In its treasurer’s report, the council said outstanding December invoices have been addressed with Town Hall and one reimbursement request related to a Canva Pro subscription has been submitted. Chairpersons plan to meet with the former treasurer to ensure records and procedures are current.
Members discussed whether to continue annual membership in the Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County and said they will seek additional information from the organization’s new executive director before making a decision.

The council also reported updates to its Town Hall webpage and proprietary website, including changes to reflect its updated charge. Members said new website capabilities may allow the council to add links and event information directly to the town site, potentially reducing the need for a separate website.

The Executive & Artistic Director Roundtable — formerly known as EADR — surveyed local arts organizations about preferred meeting times. Friday mornings were most popular, with Tuesdays at 1 p.m. as an alternative. Confirmed 2026 roundtable locations include Founder’s Hall on March 20 and the Guild of Artists on Dec. 1, with additional sessions planned at Weir Farm and other venues.

The council also reviewed updates related to Ridgefield’s Cultural District designation and Municipal Meeting Day programming. Members said the MMD website will be updated for 2026, and a meeting with Sugar Hollow Tap Room to discuss support for Ballard Park events was described as productive, with the business offering promotional help and assistance securing a sound engineer and food trucks.

In new business, Martha Evans Morris, chair of the town’s Compassionate Ridgefield committee, briefed the council on that group’s mission, Youth Ambassador Program and upcoming Compassionate Summit.

The council confirmed it will participate in Pride in the Park on June 6.

Members also discussed interest in auxiliary volunteers and said they plan to establish standard operating procedures to ensure alignment with the council’s mission.

The meeting adjourned at 8:44 p.m. The next meeting is scheduled for March 4.