Transforming Spaces: How Public Art is Shaping Lower Fairfield County

There's been a growth of public art around Stamford, Norwalk, Bridgeport, and Fairfield in an effort to help attract visitors and connect communities.

Transforming Spaces: How Public Art is Shaping Lower Fairfield County
A look at the new West Avenue mural in Norwalk. (Photo by Kelly Prinz)

Across southwest Connecticut, artists are painting new murals, communities are establishing arts and cultural districts, and municipalities are seeking grant funding to create more public art. Officials throughout the region believe art can help connect parts of the city or town together, turn places into destinations for visitors, and provide a sense of community.

Marc Alan, a member of the Norwalk Arts and Cultural Commission, pointed to a new mural as an example of how public art is a benefit to the city.

“This is what we’re talking about, investing in public art as a draw for cultural tourism, and it’s absolutely been proven to not only benefit the cultural landscape of the city, but also to benefit the surrounding businesses of that city,” he said. “So that is why we’re here today. We’re investing in Norwalk.”

Let’s explore the growth of public art around Stamford, Norwalk, Bridgeport, and Fairfield. 

Painting the City

In Norwalk, West Avenue is one of the main corridors in the city, connecting residents and visitors to downtown (the South Norwalk neighborhood), Wall Street (sometimes called Norwalk Center), I-95, the SoNo Collection, and multiple other community institutions, such as the Norwalk Public Library.

For years, a 27,000-square-foot stretch of it was home to a sculpture nicknamed The Vines, which were hard to see for both drivers and pedestrians. But earlier this year, the Norwalk Arts and Cultural Commission—with approval from the Common Council—voted to replace it with a mural, which is officially under construction.

In August, the Common Council approved a $210,000 budget for the mural, which will be called Welcome to Norwalk. The mural design focuses on “the natural world” in the city, including a humpback whale, the harbor seal, oysters, and more.

Brian Kaspr, chair of the Arts and Cultural Commission, said 40% to 50% of the proposals the commission received focused on wildlife and nature.

“I believe these themes are broadly appealing and engaging,” he said. “The artist team selected are highly skilled, known for their vibrant, impressive work and large scale, and for painting wildlife. Specifically, I believe their vision will enhance our built environment.”  

The goals of the mural, according to city officials, include helping connect the South Norwalk and Norwalk Center neighborhoods, providing a better welcome to those entering the city, and creating a more comfortable walking environment. 

Work has begun on the West Avenue mural in Norwalk. (Photo by Kelly Prinz)

“I think at its heart it’s a placemaking device,” Kaspr said. “Everyone has complained about The Vines as being something that is missed; as you’re going by at 35 miles an hour, you don’t even realize it’s there. This is a huge wall—it’s potentially creating an environment where people can linger.”

Godeski said this mural will complement other efforts in the area, such as work from the Transportation, Mobility, and Parking department. 

“It’s more meant to be a piece that adds to the walkability of the area,” she said. “This piece is supposed to be a big, beautiful thing—Welcome to Norwalk—you’re coming off the highway, you’re walking by, it’s supposed to be an attractor.” 

Some residents and council members had raised questions about the choice to not highlight the city’s history or diverse populations.

“If I saw this mural and you took away the name, it could be in New London—what makes this intrinsically Norwalk?” council member Heather Dunn said. “I would like to see it be more impactful. I think it’s a lot of money to spend without really saying ‘Norwalk’ or connecting with the people who live here.” 

In Stamford, the Board of Representatives and Board of Finance recently allocated funding for a mural at the new parking garage at the train station. The city received a $25,000 grant for the project from the National Endowment of the Arts, as well as $25,000 each from the Connecticut Department of Transportation and the Stamford Downtown Special Services District for the project.

The wall is approximately 180 feet long, and gradually increases in height from 12.5 feet to 18.5 feet. 

Leah Kagan, the city’s director of economic development, told the Board of Finance in August that there were three potential themes that artists could submit designs for—Stamford culture and landmarks; abstract art; and transportation. She said there would be a selection committee that would involve public input to help select the final design.

Members of the Board of Finance voted unanimously in support of the mural, but a few encouraged the city to choose a mural that everyone could enjoy.

“A unifying uplifting non-divisive mural— I assume irrespective of these additional grants that sort of direction is still your intent,” board member Dennis Mahoney said.

Kagan said the main point of the mural was to “give people a sense of pride in Stamford,” and that it would be positive for the city. 

A piece of public art as part of the Color It In Public Art program. (Photo by Kelly Prinz)

In Bridgeport, the Color It In Public Art program has brought public art around its downtown to help enliven some of the public spaces. 

“Downtown Bridgeport is a commercial area that represents and serves a diverse tapestry of the wider Bridgeport community,” a statement on the project reads. “The public parks and independently owned restaurants and shops that populate the street-level spaces in our neighborhood create connection points that foster the sense of community so special to the Downtown and the city. The murals in our neighborhood add to that sense of community by celebrating the full spectrum of Downtown and its beautiful and vibrant overlapping forms, shapes, and colors that intersect through its people, streets, places, and spaces.”

The program also has a public art walking tour guide that features about 40 pieces of local art in and around downtown, from murals to traffic boxes, benches to crosswalks. 

The initiative started through the Downtown Services District, but has now grown to include other portions of the city due to its success and popularity. 

“Over the initial two years, our projects graced the heart of Downtown, thanks to a fruitful collaboration with the Downtown Special Services District (DSSD). Now, as we enter a new chapter, we are delighted to announce broader partnerships to extend the canvas of artistic vibrancy to every corner of our City,” a statement from the city read

The Warehouse is a cultural spot inside a proposed arts and cultural district in Fairfield. (Photo by Kelly Prinz)

Arts and Cultural Districts in Lower Fairfield County

In 2019, the state legislature passed a new statute that allows local municipalities to apply to designate areas as arts and cultural districts, opening up opportunities for grant funding and additional marketing efforts in those areas. 

So far, Fairfield and Norwalk have applied for this status.

In Fairfield, the Representative Town Meeting (RTM)—along with the Board of Selectmen—unanimously supported the designation for the section of town that runs along Post Road, around the Fairfield train station and town hall area. 

A look at the proposed arts and cultural district in Fairfield. (Courtesy of Fairfield)

“Overall, what we’re looking to do is hopefully market [Fairfield] as an arts supportive community,” Mark Barnhardt, the town’s director of economic development, said. “We hope this designation will allow us to promote all of our many vibrant arts and cultural attractions here in town and also at some point attract additional investment in support of the arts and cultural activities.”

Members of the RTM voiced their support for the initiative, saying that it can help make the town a destination for visitors and businesses.

“I think it’s a great thing,” Representative Jeff Steele said. “These are things that bring people to town, that promote the town, which are good for every aspect of living here.”

Others said they’ve seen how these types of areas have benefited communities in Connecticut already. 

“The cultural districts are wonderful—I’ve seen them at work in other parts of the state,” Representative Michelle McCabe said. “The benefits extend far beyond the arts and cultural community.”

In Norwalk, the city also applied for an arts and cultural district designation for South Norwalk, West Avenue, and Wall Street—which includes the neighborhoods that the new mural aims to help connect.

Sabrina Godeski, director of Business Development and Tourism, told NancyonNorwalk that “by formalizing this district, we could better package our efforts and make the area more appealing to visitors.” 

Marc Alan, a member of the Norwalk Arts and Cultural Commission, who helped the city apply for the designation told NancyonNorwalk that he could “not be more pleased to see this finally becoming a reality … I’ve been promoting the idea of an Arts District in Norwalk, with a desire to see it officially recognized by the city, since I first moved to the Wall Street area in 2011.”

Why Support the Arts

One of the reasons behind the investments in the arts is that studies have found arts and cultural efforts help support local businesses and attract new people to the communities. 

The Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County participated in a national Americans for the Arts study which found that arts and culture nonprofits across Fairfield County generated $235 million in economic activity a few years ago. The arts and cultural efforts also supported 6,780 jobs and generated $20.6 million in revenue to local and state governments.

Godeski said things like an official designation from the state for an arts and cultural district can help continue to enhance these efforts by facilitating collaborations with local artists and marketing the area to visitors. 

One of the newest murals in Norwalk, near the South Norwalk train station. (Photo by Kelly Prinz)

Future Opportunities

While cities and towns are investing in the arts, advocates and officials said there are more opportunities to continue to enhance communities with public art.

For example, in Stamford, in June 2021 under the previous administration, Mayor David Martin had proposed spending about $500,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funding to create a “public mural connectivity program.” 

The proposal aimed to “stimulate the arts and tourism sector by creating a large-scale public art project consisting of murals and lighting” in the corridor between Downtown and the South End.

“By enhancing the streetscape around the Stamford Transportation Center, which is a connector between two lively and diverse neighborhoods, all retailers would benefit from increased activity by pedestrians,” the proposal stated

“We have repeatedly heard in a number of studies the way you walk from the South End to the train is one of the coldest walks,” Martin told the Board of Finance in July 2021 “Here we have this robust economy, we’re trying to attract business into town—we’re a vibrant city and yet we have the deadest area around the train station on the planet.” 

Still, members of the Board of Finance opposed the project at the time, stating that the funds should go to other priorities like fixing schools and improving infrastructure.

In Norwalk, as a part of the Martin Luther King Jr. corridor initiative, the city has been working to add public art to enhance that section of town. So far, as a part of that project, the city commissioned an artist to paint the staircase connecting Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive up to Clay Street, and has also recently added two murals next to the South Norwalk Train Station that aim to brighten up the underpass there. Still, looking ahead to future projects, members of the Common Council voiced support for using local artists to create art around the city.

“We have to really be intentional and do our best to go after local artists and let them lead the projects,” said council member Dajuan Wiggins who voted against the West Avenue mural