Bridgeport Art Trail returns for 13th year, Nov. 11-14

The 13th annual Bridgeport Art Trail returns this year with new ways of displaying multimedia art.

This art walk takes place Nov. 11 through 14 throughout the city of Bridgeport and features art studio open houses, artist meet and greets and live music.

Suzanne Kachmar is the executive Director for City Lights Art Gallery and is the art trail’s executive producer. She came up with the concept 13 years ago and has overseen every Bridgeport Art Trail since then.

“There's going to be a lot of fun things for people to do, and I love the personal satisfaction of exposing people to the arts and bringing art to people because some of them may never think to walk into a gallery,” Kachmar said. “It's like the first time you have sushi, somebody's got to introduce you to it.”

This year’s event will include the use of outdoor projections. Music videos from local musicians and slide shows of artwork matched with musical scores will be projected onto walls along the trail.

Dozens of talks, displays and events take place throughout the weekend at Bridgeport businesses, according to the 2021 art trail guide, including bike tours, art activities for kids, virtual writers groups, open mic nights, clearance book sales, play readings and more.

Kachmar’s goal for the past 13 years has been to bring awareness to the Bridgeport art scene and help people understand that local art is valuable.

“I've always wanted to be near my hometown and make art even though I’ve traveled, and I’ve lived abroad, I always thought why do I have to go someplace else? Why can't we have all that beautiful stuff that you see in Italy and Prague? Why can we have it here in Bridgeport? And

why do I even have to get on a train and go to New York? Why can't I just have it right here?” Kachmar said.

“The arts are a platform to bring people from different points of view together to have a conversation — or maybe even a bit of an argument — but maybe they at least get to express a different point of view,” she added.

The Bridgeport Art Trail takes place Nov. 11-14 throughout the city. For a full list of events and locations, visit bridgeport-art-trail.org.

Christian Abraham / Hearst Connecticut Media file photos The band “Oh, Cassius!” performs at a 2017 Bridgeport Art Trail opening reception at the Read’s ArtSpace “Artists Choose Artists” exhibit in downtown Bridgeport.

Artist publisher and printer Emily Larned runs her printing machine during a past Bridgeport Arts Trail.