The late real estate developer Drew Friedman left funds to establish the Drew Friedman Community Art Center (DFCAC), which will award $500,000 to promote the arts in Westport and Weston over the next 10 years, it was announced today.
Pictured (l-r) : Nick Visconti, Miggs Burroughs, and Louise Fusco, board members of the Drew Friedman Community Art Center Inc. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Contributed photo
The monies will fund art programs and scholarships for underserved artists of all ages, an announcement said. There also will be a gala on May 17 to celebrate accomplishments of the first recipients.
Friedman, the founding member of the Westport Downtown Merchants Association, died in February 2016 at age 86. His Westport properties included the old Westport Library building on Post Road East and the building that housed Onion Alley and Bobby Q’s on Main Street.
“Drew’s passion for the arts was tied to his beloved wife Bobbie, who was an accomplished artist,” the announcement said. She died in December 2011 at age 83.
After Friedman’s death, Nick Visconti, his longtime friend and business partner picked up where Friedman left off in fulfilling his vision to honor his late wife’s memory by establishing an arts center, the announcement said.
He was aided by Westport artist Miggs Burroughs and Visconti’s sister Louise Fusco.
This center will be a place for free visual and performing arts classes for the underserved community of children from 7 to 18 years old, the announcement said.
It said DFCAC is currently funding several art initiatives, including the cost of all materials and instructors at CLASP Homes, Homes with Hope, the Westport Art Center and the Westport Historical Society.
DFCAC also funds the Westport Woman’s Club with scholarships, according to the announcement.
Art scholarship applications in the amounts ranging from $2,500 to $7,500 per student can be downloaded from the Westport Artists’ Collective’s website at http://www.westportartistscollective.com.
