A street art festival on Stamford’s West Side?

Organizers hope to start a trend

STAMFORD — For once, Stamford's festival scene is taking a walk on the West Side.

Development group the Wellbuilt Company, statewide art nonprofit the RiseUP Group and its affiliate Stamford Murals on July 16 will host one of the neighborhood's first arts festivals showcasing the work of a group of children and teens.

The festivities will focus on street art, Wellbuilt associate Ashley Turner said, but the real goal is expanding what parts of the city residents pay attention to.

Most of Stamford's events happen square in the heart of Downtown. The Downtown Special Services District periodically closes off Bedford Street for arts festivals; organizations take over Mill River Park; even the plaza in front of Stamford Town Center sometimes becomes a de facto gathering space.

Turner, who is helping organize the festival, said that Wellbuilt wants to bring that energy to other parts of the city, which she said don't get a lot of attention. The new event wants to encourage people from the community to get outside, she explained, as a way to “bring new life and energy and art and excitement to the West Side of Stamford in particular.”

Art vendors — all professional artists from the area — will take over the street, selling their wares. Alongside them, local artists Patrick Ganino, Alex Ranniello, Lauren Clayton, Chris Gann and Don J. will run art demonstrations on massive canvasses. Wellbuilt will auction off the completed pieces at the end of the festivities, with the proceeds going to the Food Bank of Lower Fairfield County.

“They are hoping if this goes well to make this an annual event, and we already have bigger, grander ideas for next year,” Turner said.

Tyler Sizemore / Hearst Connecticut Media A colorful mural by Lauren Clayton of Studio 162 Design, commissioned by Stamford Downtown Special Services District, has brightened up Kiwanis Park in downtown Stamford. Clayton is one of several artists who will be featured during a West Side art fest in July.

H John Voorhees III / Hearst Connecticut Media file photo Chris Gann, of Enfield, applies primer to a wall before it is painted into a mural in 2021. Gann is one of a handful of artists to be featured during a West Side art fest in July.

Tyler Sizemore / Hearst Connecticut Media file photo The "Dream Big" mural by Connecticut artist Patrick Ganino is unveiled at The Village in Stamford last July. Ganino is one of several artists who will be featuring during a West Side art fest slated for July.