SoCCA soft opening excites first lookers

My presence at a special preview of the new cultural arts center thwarted, SoCCA Board President, Dawn Miceli, graciously agreed to write today’s Appleseed column published in the Friday, August 5, 2016 of The Southington Citizen.                                                                                         Dick Fortunato 

After more than a year and a half of renovations – which more or less involved gutting the entire building – the new community arts center housed in the former Gura Building is ready for occupancy.

A donor appreciation event July 28 was the first public showing of the Southington Community Cultural Arts (SoCCA) facility.  Attendees included residents, civic organization representatives, state and town officials and local businesses – all of whom contributed in either funding or goods and services to the capital campaign.  As guests toured the building they were entertained by performing and visual artists in the studios and rooms to highlight the various offerings that will take place at SoCCA.  Refreshments and appetizers were provided by Geno’s Grille.

“We owe a huge shout-out to our town’s residents and business owners who, through their generosity and donations of funds, labor and goods and services, made the impossible possible and gave our community one of the most highly recognized arts centers in the area before our doors were even open,” said SoCCA Executive Director Mary DeCroce.  “We can’t thank you enough, Southington, especially Florian Properties.”

Grand Opening events and a ribbon-cutting ceremony are planned for the two weekends of the 2016 Apple Harvest Festival.

In the meantime, classes and programming are now being formed for the first eight-week session, which begins October 12 and concludes December 12.  A wide range of options and creativity levels for the beginner to the seasoned artist – and everyone in between – are being offered.

The center’s 3,000-square-foot pottery studio will also be open by October and will feature six wheels, a glazing station, hand-building tables and three kilns.  The size and capacity of the studio make it one of only six in the state of this scale and a variety of adult and teen courses will be available for pottery enthusiasts. 

All six second-floor studios have been leased and artists were able to move in July 15.  The studios will thrive with creativity and activity thanks to occupants who include music teachers, a caricaturist cartoonist, a calligraphy and lettering artist and an oil artist.  Also upstairs is the Bradley Henry Barnes & Leila Upson Barnes Memorial Trust Room, which serves as the All Access Studio.  This unique arts program provides creative and vocational artisan training for those with disabilities. 

The goals of the program are to connect this population with their community, provide extra income and, perhaps most importantly, enhance quality of life through the creative process.  Products produced via the All Access program and by other artisans affiliated with SoCCA will be sold in the retail store.

The arts center also features The Hopko Performance Hall, which is more than 1,100 square feet and can seat up to 80 people. The space will be used for exhibits, workshops, performances and is available to rent for parties and special events.  A catering kitchen completes the performance hall.

The 2016 SoCCA Board of Directors:from left, Lori Holm, Vice President Susan Urillo Larson, Diana Sheard, Susan Skarvinko, Secretary Paula Knight, President Dawn Miceli, All Access coordinator Margaret Bodell, Honorary Board member Jane Herzig and Executive Director Mary DeCroce.  Missing from the photo are board members Linda Deluca, Melinda Otlowski, Robert Riggs Lombardi and Diann Thomson.

Visit the must view SouthingtonArts.com to become a member of Southington Community Cultural Arts and receive programming discounts, notification of special events, exhibition openings and exclusive publications.  Joining SoCCA ensures the cultivation, appreciation and education of the arts in our community and supports Connecticut's premier All Access Studio. For more, visit SoCCA’s Facebook page or contact Director Mary DeCroce at 860.276.1581.

Today's guest columnist, Dawn Miceli, is a resident of Southington, a former journalist and adjunct professor at Quinnipiac University and a valued public servant of the Southington community who serves on the Town Council and is Communications Director at Hamden Hall Country Day School.