I-Park Foundation Inc

In 2024, I-Park hosted its fourth iteration of its Composers + Musicians Collaborative Residency. The services of the Hub New Music ensemble were made available to a group of 5 composers for a 8 day onsite residency. During this time, semi-complete new works were presented to the ensemble for an intensive schedule of readings, workshops and rehearsals. The composers and ensemble collaborated intimately to put the finishing touches on the works. Trust and collegiality were fostered by the shared lodging and meals and related social activities. The program resulted in the refinement of 5 challenging new chamber works brought to a high state of concert-readiness. The residency culminated in an all-premieres concerts in Connecticut and a New York City all-premieres concert at Roulette Intermedium. The program was fully-funded for all participants and each composer received a $2,500 stipend and a studio recording of his or her new piece. In this program, the ensemble is committed to champion and perform the new works in various venues across the U.S. for their 2025 2027 concert seasons.

Community Engagement at I-Park consists of hosting public events such as Open Studios, where the artists open their studios at the end of their residencies to expose hundreds of visitors to their work projects and creative process. On Open Trails Days, the public is given access to our expansive system of 24 walking trails. Along the way, visitors encounter live music and over 40 site-responsive art installations to say nothing of the forest, fields, ponds, cliffs and wild life. Other community events include Volunteers Days, the annual Friends & Supporters Appreciation Gathering and a Family Day, complete with childrens art activities.. During 2024, I-Park completed the final phase of upgrading the Common Area. This multi-purpose space, that can now accommodate seating for 75, is where we gather for music performances, film screenings and poetry readings. We installed new mobile library stacks that can be repositioned for various configurations depending on the event. This facility was funded in part by the State of Connecticuts Good to Great Grant. Their goal was to enhance the publics visitors experience: lighting, seating, accessibility and comfort. We have experienced an uptick in attendance since the facility came online in early 2025.