A 2020 View: Kennedy Center Calendar Celebration is Dec. 5

November 26th, 2019

On Thursday, Dec. 5, The Kennedy Center will unveil A Unique Perspective 2020 Calendar and celebrate an annual collaboration with People’s United Bank and People’s United Community Foundation, showcasing the work of artists with a wide range of abilities.  

This year’s calendar reception and artist recognition, open to the public, will be from 5:30-7 p.m. at Gallery@999 on the second floor of the Margaret E. Morton Government Center, 999 Broad St., Bridgeport. Every guest will receive a complimentary calendar.

In addition to celebrating the ‘Unique Perspective’ of 16 local artists, The Kennedy Center’s 2020 calendar highlights the power of art in building career and life skills.

“The Kennedy Center’s commitment to expressive arts and our artists creates environments for self- expression, confidence, skill development and, above all, gives voice to each individual,” said Kennedy Center President and CEO Rick Sebastian.

The Kennedy Center, a Trumbull-based not-for-profit, has made expressive arts an area of focus in its programming for children and adults with disabilities. The center’s Transition to Employment (T2E) Program uses a career arts curriculum to prepare adults with disabilities for competitive employment. Skills taught in the Career Arts Program use free expression to build communication, teamwork, problem-solving and professionalism. Three artists in the T2E program are included in this year’s calendar.

In total, the 2020 Calendar artists hail from eight Connecticut towns. This year’s calendar artists are: Bridgeport residents Debbie Willis, Cloresa Francouer, Aisha Joyner and Shantel Gilbert; Derby resident Alexis Dobbins, Fairfield resident Mickey Daly, Hamden residents Krysten Tong and Jasmine Edwards, Milford resident John Mitchell, Shelton residents Molly Hauser and Chelsea Dolny, Stratford residents Ryan Gall and Alice Dubois and Trumbull residents Johanna Vecchione and Michael Donahue.

The work of long-time Kennedy Center artist Marc Iaizzi of Bridgeport is being posthumously honored in the 2020 Calendar. Iaizzi, who passed away this year, was a beloved artist and long-time member of the Kennedy Center community.

“Thanks to the commitment of People’s United Bank and the People’s United Community Foundation, our artists reach a broader and more diverse audience through this annual calendar,” Sebastian said. “Their unique stories are told and shared through their work, for all to experience and appreciate.”

People’s United Bank branches in Connecticut and Westchester County, N.Y. are giving out copies of the calendar to customers, now through the new year.

Sales of original artwork at the Dec. 5 calendar reception benefit the artist, with a portion going back to The Kennedy Center’s expressive arts programming. Additional calendars and notecards, featuring calendar artwork, will also be on sale during the reception.

The calendar reception is free but an RSVP is requested. Please RSVP by contacting [email protected].