Connecting Communities Through
Arts, Dialogue & Transformation
Upcoming Events
Currently and through the summer, The HIVE is continuing to work on building partnerships necessary for us to deliver on our vision and mission of cross-community pollination as well as testing various concepts with audiences. Some of these events are private and some are public, as required for this important outreach, which allows The HIVE to understand more deeply what organizations and communities want and need as we work together to create a "human pollinator pathway." See below for a peek into the public events and other recent activities that we've done so far on our journey to build The HIVE.
If you believe in what we are doing, consider supporting these critical early efforts by becoming a Golden Honey Donor - a special start-up program that ends on July 31
PAST Public Events
Public Pollinator Gathering #1
Artist Storyshare
at the Westport Library
When: Sunday, June 9, 2024, 2-4pm
Where: Westport Library Trefz Forum
The theme “Unexpected Human Pollination” was defined as “collaborating with a person or group that was unexpected and possibly unwelcome, but resulted in a surprising and positive impact in the end.”
Sixteen Artists showed their work and 6 bravely told personal and inspiring stories from the stage, followed by a facilitated conversation with the audience who shared their own thoughts on the theme and their own experiences with “Unexpected Human Pollination,” creating more connection for all.
CLICK HERE to hear the stories and the conversation
CLICK HERE to see and purchase the artwork
Public Pollinator Gathering #2
The LID Sessions by Frederic Chiu Studio at The Westport Library
When: Sunday June 23, 2024, 2-4pm
Where: Westport Library Trefz Forum on the Yamaha Disklavier!
This event brought 7 non-professional pianists aged 12-94 to the stage to share their personal “Passion Practice,” playing Piano, with an enthusiastic and supportive audience. Performers and audience alike engaged in a lively conversation on the impact of having a “Passion Practice” and how sharing it brings together community in a powerful way. Audience members shared that watching these pianists take the stage made them feel grateful, inspired, impressed and overwhelmed by their bravery. The pianists themselves spoke of being nervous and worried about making mistakes upon taking the stage, but the energy and encouragement of the large crowd made them feel acknowledged and supported and more able to focus on making music – and all were glad for having done it.
CLICK HERE to watch the performances and hear the conversation
Building The HIVE
The HIVE Identity & Website
We took time and careful thought to establish The HIVE Logo, Values, Vision & Mission. We did many iterations of our site to get the right balance that communicated the ethos of our organization as well as our activities and an on-line gallery, while also keeping it simple. Check it out! www.thehivebybeechwood.org
Our First Media Appearance As The HIVE!
Executive Director of CAFC, Erika Wesley, invited us to her podcast at WPKN to discuss the launch of The HIVE. It was an exciting discussion that reinforced what we are doing and made clear the possibilities and the impact The HIVE will have. Listen Here!
HIVE Conversation Dinners
for EDs of Community-Driven Organizations
When: May to July 2024
Where: The HIVE HQ in SoNo
Quick Start To Building Partnerships
Creating Partnerships with other Community-driven organizations is core to everything The HIVE will do. To achieve our mission and create a “human pollinator pathway” across communities, we must do our work equitably and with consideration; partnering with a wide range of community-driven organizations across communities is key.
Outreach to these partners is essential for us to understand their needs and goals for them and their communities so we can bring value through joint programs. Throughout May and June, we invited Executive Directors of Community-Driven organizations to a series of HIVE Conversations. Over 30 EDs signed up in our initial round, with more asking to attend, from Arts Organizations to Community Services, Libraries and beyond. These Pollinator Gatherings received a very enthusiastic response from EDs and gave them an opportunity to experience one of The HIVE’s cornerstone offerings for themselves. We plan on hosting more ED events through July and to build a strong cohort of partners across communities.