On January 13–14, 2026, the Connecticut Arts Learning Collaborative (CALC) hosted its first-ever statewide summit in Wallingford, bringing together a dynamic group of more than 100 leaders, allies, and partners committed to advancing high-quality, equitable arts learning for young people across Connecticut. The two-day convening marked a major milestone in CALC’s mission to align educators, artists, policymakers, and community partners around a shared vision for arts education.
The summit was made possible through a powerful collaboration between Arts for Learning Connecticut (AFLCT), Connecticut Office of the Arts (COA), and the Connecticut Arts Administrators Association (CAAA)—three organizations that have long championed arts learning across the state. Together, they created a space for dialogue, strategy-building, and collective action, supported by critical funding from the Connecticut Office of the Arts, Fairfield County’s Community Foundation, Pincus Family Foundation, Ritter Family Foundation, and the William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund.
Day one, themed “Laying the Foundation,” opened with a keynote by Bob Morrison, CEO of Quadrant Research, who spoke about the transformative power of arts education. A panel conversation followed, featuring:
- Jennifer Leeper, Chair of the Education Committee, Connecticut General Assembly
- Elizabeth Shapiro, Director, Connecticut Office of the Arts
- Lynn Tuttle, Executive Director & CEO, American String Teachers Association
- Steve Zimmerman, K–12 Arts Supervisor, Westport Public Schools
Together, these leaders explored the foundational work needed to strengthen arts education statewide.
Later, Dr. Brent Hasty, Executive Director of MINDPOP, led a powerful call to action on mobilizing communities through the arts. In the afternoon, a second panel—moderated by Tekowa Omara-Otunnu of the Connecticut Office of the Arts—featured:
- Dom McLennon, Interdisciplinary Artist and member of Brockhampton
- Nancy DeCrescenzo, Juvenile Residential Services, State of CT Judicial Branch
- Winnie Wong, Real Art Ways
- Gary Nolan, Windsor High School Music Department
These voices highlighted the importance of a multi-sector coalition to drive meaningful, lasting change.
Day two, “From Vision to Action,” focused on planning and implementation. Dr. Hasty returned alongside Jeannette McCune, Executive Director of SchoolTalk, to lead a keynote conversation on collective impact. Participants then worked in facilitated groups to develop action plans aligned with CALC’s shared goals, concluding with report-outs and a closing call to action.
Reflecting on the experience, AFLCT Executive Director and CALC Steering Committee Co-Lead John-Michael Parker shared:
“Our Steering Committee had dreamed about this convening for a long time… In reality, the convening was even better than I could have imagined… We learned from the leaders who have been doing this work for decades—inside and outside of Connecticut—ensuring that we’re building on the strongest foundation possible as we take on the challenging work of collective impact.”
The CALC Summit was not just a conference—it was an invitation. An invitation to educators, artists, administrators, funders, and community members to join a transparent, inclusive, and inspired process to ensure every young person in Connecticut experiences the power of arts learning.
Together, we are building the roadmap for a stronger, more equitable future for arts education across our state.