In Connecticut, New London's Growing Arts Scene |
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| Festivals and special events sponsored by the City
are enjoyed by thousands of citizens in each season of the year. Under the
leadership of City Council, City employees strive every day to provide citizens
with the services and support they expect and deserve. At our schools,
libraries, parks, police and fire departments, public utilities, public works,
codes compliance and engineering departments, they take pride in public service
for you. New London is in southeastern Connecticut about midway between New
York and Boston, seems on paper a lot like Mystic, its neighbor to the east -
all sea views, seafood and seafaring history. But unlike that quaint (or
perhaps faux quaint) town, New London is becoming as recognized for its
independent art scene as for its handsome harbor. Traditional fine arts have
always had a place in New London, and now, despite a dearth of art buyers in
the current economy, creativity prevails in the form of new galleries and
events with an urban bent, often fusing art with fashion or music, or both. A
short walk down Green Street, two blocks from the waterfront, reveals a cluster
of new gallery-cum-boutiques. Muse 102 Golden Street 860-442-6873 opened in 2007, sells sneakers and skateboards beside rotating works of art, |
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| like industrial-looking steel pieces painted with enamel and finished with
rust that were available on a recent visit. Owned by Frank Marchany, a
part-time D.J., the shop also hosts monthly dance parties. Sneaker prices range
from $20 for Vans to $250 for the rare 2006 Air Jordan 4 Black Cat by Nike.
Opposite Muse and a wildly colorful corner - graffiti remnants of the town's
second annual Urban Arts Festival in August - is the Golden Street Gallery 94
Golden Street; 860-444-0659 where local artists guest-curate exhibitions, and
the owner operates a small bookshop. A block north, Takeout (15 Green Street is a tiny gallery showcasing handmade clothing and regional art. Across the street, Aticc 140 Green; 860-443-2842 similarly focuses on clothing by local designers, including $20 silk-screened Woody Allen T-shirts, and rotates exhibits by emerging artists. Before the designer Cristin Gallagher, 25, opened Aticc in May with her boyfriend, the artist Denny Rivera, she organized fashion shows around town. "When you realize the potential New London has, you want it to grow," she said. "It's like a little thrill, without the intensity of a big city." Most prices at the Green Street-area galleries are recession-friendly. Large, dramatic pieces can be as little as $200. To attract visitors, the four galleries often coordinate their exhibition openings with those of Hygienic Art (79 Bank Street; 860-443-8001 the granddaddy of New London's indie art scene, two blocks away on the main drag. Back when it was a 24-hour restaurant in 1979, the Hygienic began hosting an annual free-for-all exhibition. When the building was scheduled for demolition in 1996, a grassroots movement saved it. In 2000, the Hygienic Art nonprofit organization was born. Today, the Hygienic comprises four galleries and an artists' cooperative; in 2005, an adjacent art park was added to host music, film and theater. But the annual two-week art show, which turns 31 in January, remains its biggest affair. "It reflects the community's view of what art is, what they want to create and want people to see," said the artist and Hygienic volunteer Terry Davis, who signs his work "Davo." The Hygienic is no longer a restaurant, so arty locals gather at the couch-strewn Bean & Leaf Coffeehouse 13 Washington Street 860-701-0000 which itself hosts exhibitions, screenings, poetry readings and live music. Getting to New London |
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By land, New London is practically
midway between New York City and Boston. The major seaboard interstate highway,
I-95, passes through the city, and New London's Amtrak station is on the
passenger rail Northeast Corridor. The city of Worcester, Massachusetts is 74
miles (119 km) northward, principally via Interstate 395, and the Connecticut
capital, Hartford, is 53 miles (85 km) to the northwest via a sequence of state
highways. New London is served by local taxi companies, regional Southeast Area Transit buses, interstate Greyhound Lines buses |
| The Cross Sound Ferry to Long Island, the Fishers
Island Ferry District, and in summer by the Block Island Express ferry. The
Groton-New London Airport is located in neighboring Groton; and two major
airports, T. F. Green and Tweed-New Haven Regional Airport are within 75
minutes driving time. Rail freight is by the Providence & Worcester Railroad and the New England Central Railroad. Seagoing cargo at the State Pier is handled by Logistec. New London is also currently visited by Royal Caribbean Cruise Ships. |
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