Connecting Communities Through
Arts, Dialogue & Transformation
Building The HIVE!
Our Timeline
2024-2025
2024 Summary (Scroll down for pics and details)
Feb-Apr
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We created The HIVE Identity: Concept, Logos, Materials & Website
May-July
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Launched The Golden Honey Donor Club Program
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Hosted 5 Pollinator Gatherings with EDs of 30 Organizations to have them experience The HIVE Conversations and to listen to their input on interest and needs.
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Presented & tested interactive HIVE programs at The Westport Library
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Made our first media appearance on CAFC's "Spotlight on The Arts" Podcast​
Aug-Oct
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Met with 20 additional EDs (individually or through presentations to multiple Arts Associations/Councils) to introduce The HIVE and solicit additional input & feedback
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Hosted HIVE Pollinator Gatherings with younger, “hard to reach" community for input.
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Hosted the first HIVE Partner Network Conference with 30 Organizations signing up. The collaborative work sessions identified the value of the HIVE to organizations and community
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And laid the groundwork for how The HPN will collaborate and work together going forward
Nov-Dec
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Synthesized all the input and refined how The HIVE will work with The HPN​
​2025 Plan
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Jan: Present to and sign up organizations as members to participate in the first HIVE Season.
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Feb-April: Work collaboratively with The HPN to develop The HIVE Season 1 programs, publicity, etc.
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April-July: Launch The HIVE Season 1 with The HIVE Partner Network
Feb-April 2024
Creating The HIVE Identity
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We worked hard to articulate and create our identity, complete with a new HIVE Logo, Values, Vision, Mission and Website, which has evolved to include The HIVE Partner Network.
May-JuLY 2024
May-Jul 2024
Launched The Golden Honey Donor Club Program
We launched The Golden Honey Donor Club to give supporters of The HIVE an opportunity to support the early efforts of building The HIVE. All donors at any level had their name placed on The HIVE's donor wall in perpetuity. Funding from The Golden Honey Donor Club helped fund critical outreach activities with organizations and audiences from May to October.
A second opportunity to join THe Golden Honey Donor Club has been opened for December 29, 2024 to April 1, 2025 to help support the launch of The HIVE full season. Click For Details
May-Oct 2024
Building The HIVE Partner Network
Creating Partnerships with other Community-driven organizations is core to everything The HIVE will do. In our outreach over the course of 6 months we met with over 65 leaders in close to 50 Community Organizations across Fairfield County, sharing the Vision and Mission of The HIVE and getting extensive feedback to shape how The HIVE will work with The HIVE Partner Network (HPN) to engage communities across the county.
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We initially hosted 5 Pollinator Gathering Dinners for 30 organizations to allow EDs to experience The HIVE Conversations and discuss their interest and the value they saw in The HIVE for their communities. Following the dinners, we met with 20 other organizations, either one-on-one or through Arts Commissions and Councils.
In this outreach, we learned what individual organizations were looking for, what they needed to join the HPN and what value doing so would bring to their organizations and communities. ​​
June 2024
Our First Media Appearance!

We were delighted to be invited by Erika Wesley, the Executive Director of Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County (CAFC) to join her as guests on her Spotlight on Arts & Culture Podcast at WPKN. We had an interesting discussion about collaboration, connection, community and how The HIVE plans to help foster it across the county.
Thank you, Erika! Listen
June 2024
Tested The First 2 HIVE Conversations and Theme-fueled Programs, Hosted By Our Long-Time Collaborator, The Wonderful Westport Library!
​June 9: Pollinator Gathering #1: The HIVE Artist Storyshare​
16 Artists showed their work and 6 bravely told personal and inspiring stories from the stage. The theme was “Unexpected Human Pollination,” about an unexpected and possibly unwelcome meeting, but which ended with a positive impact. A facilitated HIVE Conversation followed, turning the audience toward each other as they shared their own thoughts and experiences on the theme, creating more connection for all.
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CLICK HERE to hear the stories and the conversation​
CLICK HERE to see and purchase the artwork
June 23: Pollinator Gathering #2: Frederic Chiu's LID Sessions
The HIVE invited accomplished but non-professional pianists to share their "passion practice" by playing piano to a live audience on stage. The seven participants (ranging in age from 12-94!) were met with an enthusiastic and supportive audience! After the performances, we facilitated a lively HIVE Conversation with audience and performers around the feelings created in both groups followed by a sharing about other "passion practices" the audience engaged in, creating even more connections.
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CLICK HERE to watch the performances and hear the conversation
Aug-DeC 2024
Aug and Nov 2024
Specific Audiences: Young Adults
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In addition to HIVE Conversations with Directors for building The HIVE Partner Network, we hosted 2 HIVE Pollinator Gatherings with groups of young adults - a cohort whose participation in and consumption of the arts is significantly different than the recent generations before them. They responded enthusiastically to The HIVE's in-person meaningful dialogue, and we are planning to do more to help partners understand how best to program for this group.
Oct 30 2024
The First HIVE Partner Network Conference!
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Executive Directors and staff attended our first-ever HIVE Partner Network Conference on Oct 30, generously hosted at the beautiful Carriage Barn Arts Center in New Canaan. The collaborative conference allowed organizations to work together for important input and details as to how they want to work with The HIVE.
Nov-Dec 2024: We focused on analyzing the results of the Conference and worked toward the final design of exactly how The HIVE and The HIVE Partner Network will work together collaboratively to engage their communities through Arts, Culture and Learning Programs paired with meaningful HIVE Conversations. ​​​
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Coming in 2025!
Jan-Feb 2025
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We are scheduled to present the final plan to organizations and recruit for participants in The HIVE Partner Network!
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Frederic's concert for Golden Honey Donors of $250+ will be in February
Mar-Apr 2025: Target launch of the first full season of The HIVE for the public. Keep your eyes open for events across Fairfield County!