I-Park Foundation Inc

Programs: I-park's core program is its general residency program. Artists and designers from the following disciplines participate in the program: visual arts (including environmental art), creative writing, music composition/sound art, moving image, landscape/garden/ecological design and architecture. Mixed-discipline groups, generally 6-7 artists at a time, spend a month together at the i-park facility. They are provided with a private bedroom, a private studio, a food program, enthusiastic staff support - and open access to an expansive, varied natural landscape with miles of art/nature walking trails. While most participants are primarily devoted to studio practice, many choose to explore the limitless creative potential afforded by the i-park grounds. With respect to the artists-in-residence, the program is fully-funded; their only costs are for travel to and from the area and for their own art supplies. A special aspect of an i-park residency is the intimate, collegial atmosphere that has been fostered. There is much sharing of ideas and experiences over the dinner table as well as during 'artists' exchange,' at the very beginning of the session, and open studios at the end. This is strengthened by the practice of having all the artists arrive at the same time, sharing the space together for the duration of the residency and then leaving as a group. This results in deep exchanges and connections that continue long after the residency ends.

in 2014, a concerted effort was made to engage the local and regional communities. While i-park was founded in 2001 and has since grown in programming excellence and prominence within the field, it has nonetheless maintained a very low public profile. For 2014, the organization decided to reach out to public and private institutions, primarily within connecticut, to increase awareness of its artists-in-residence program and its calendar of free onsite events. Several groups were invited for personalized site visits, including state and town officials and local environmental preservation and other civic organizations. I-park became a participating host of connecticut trails day, a popular statewide event that allowed us to share our extensive system of art/nature trails with the general public. We, for the first time in a strategic way, began promoting our activities on local posting boards and making ourselves available for media exposure. This resulted in increased interest in our programming and increased attendance at our events - further advancing the public engagement element of our mission.

during 2014, i-park worked diligently on a 10-year master plan that resulted in a vision for a new 12-person residence facility, 12 new artists' studios, a new artists' workshop, expanded community space, ada upgrades and a new performing arts facility. The project team included a prominent architect and site planner - and a group of board members, i-park fellows and members of the public. This process paid dividends in 2015 with the town of east haddam planning & zoning commission unanimously approving the plan and, later in 2015, the award of a $110,000 grant from the state of connecticut to help get these projects underway.