Louis P. Masur, Distinguished Professor of American Studies and History at Rutgers University, will deliver a lecture at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 19, on Stanley Forman’s iconic 1976 photograph depicting a Black civil rights activist in Boston being assaulted by a white man with a flagpole with the U.S. flag. The photograph was the subject of Dr. Masur’s 2008 book of the same title.
His talk is being presented in conjunction with the exhibition For Which It Stands… which includes a print of Forman’s photograph from the Fairfield University Art Museum’s permanent collection. For more information on the exhibition, click here.
Dr. Masur’s talk will be livestreamed; click here for a reminder.
Artist Maria De Los Angeles’ textile work Freedom is Not Free? forms part of our 2026 exhibition For Which It Stands… The sculpture, commissioned by the Fairfield University Art Museum for the exhibition, incorporates small textile pieces made by participants in a fall 2025 campus workshop. Participants in this workshop will also have the opportunity to create a miniature flag representing their own heritage, some of which Maria may incorporate into the sculpture so that it “grows” over the length of the exhibition. Supplies will be provided, but the artist encourages participants to bring along materials they might like to upcycle (like old denim, bandanas, etc.).
Space is limited and registration is required. For more information on the exhibition click here. For more information on Maria De Los Angeles, click here.
* This event is a part of Fairfield University Explores 250 Years of the American Experiment: The Promise and Paradox *
Carving the Divine: Buddhist Sculptors of Japan is a documentary film that offers a rare look into a 1400-year-old Buddhist woodcarving tradition and the practitioners struggling to preserve its legacy in a rapidly changing Japan. After the screening, director Yujiro Seki will join by Zoom to discuss the project.
This screening is co-presented with the departments of Visual & Performing Arts and Religious Studies, the Asian Studies program, and the Arts Institute.
For more information: www.carvingthedivine.com
Intimate piano performances in a relaxed art setting
Who doesn’t need to decompress and unwind after the grind? AMP’s popular Happy Hour Piano Series eases you into the weekend with live piano music and libations in Connecticut’s most unique art space.
Held the fourth Friday of the month from 5pm to 7pm, each evening features a captivating pianist performing in a variety of styles including jazz, blues, pop, classical, and more. The Happy Hour Piano Series can be a relaxed hang with friends or an intimate evening out.
Reserve your $8 tickets in advance or purchase at the door.
The cash/credit bar offers a selection of wine, craft and domestic beer, cider, and various beverages. Your tickets support AMP, a nonprofit arts organization.
Natalie Hamilton, folk & pop
Friday, March 28
5–7pm I Music Starts: 5:30pm
Natalie Hamilton is a singer/songwriter known for her four-octave, velvet voice and a style that blends jazz sophistication with folk intimacy. Critics describe her sound as evocative, powerful, and uniquely her own, comparing her voice to a young Barbra Streisand and her narrative, lyrical compositions to Joni Mitchell. “She is able to say more with humming than most singers can say with words – reminiscent of a young Barbra Streisand.” (Sandy Cooperman – The Daily Sun) Hamilton is currently performing and recording a new album for 2026 release.
About The Happy Hour Piano Series
AMP’s Happy Hour Piano Series is a standout among things to do in the Northwest Corner of CT—bringing together live music, local talent, and the largest indoor collaborative mural in the country. It’s one of the most distinctive art and music events in Connecticut.
UPCOMING…
Isabella Mendes, jazz and bossa nova
Friday, April 24
5–7pm I Music Starts: 5:30pm
Singer, songwriter, composer, pianist, and educator Isabella Mendes is one of New Haven and Hartford County’s top Brazilian and Jazz entertainers in the industry and has earned an impressive list of accomplishments well beyond her years. Born in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Isabella started to study music at age four and hasn’t stopped since. She has been studying with Grammy Winner pianist Fabio Torres and Emmy Winner vocalist Michal Towber. Isabella is also the founder and owner of IMMusic Studio, a private music school, where she teaches piano and voice. She is an advocate for women and diversity in the arts, and is leading workshops bringing diversity through music in schools and community events.
Looking for creative, engaging activities for the whole family? AMP’s Family Days offer an exciting lineup of hands-on activities for children of all ages. Games, storytimes, art projects, and interactive learning programs spark kids’ curiosity and creativity—and celebrate the art of work. AMP’s Family Days are the perfect way to spend quality time together.
𝗦𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵. 𝗙𝗥𝗘𝗘 𝗮𝗱𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗱𝗮𝘆!
Family Days also coincide with AMP’s popular Teen Art Studio from 10:30am–1:30pm—something for everyone in the family.
SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITIES:
𝟭𝟭𝗮𝗺: 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲
With AMP’s Michelle Begley, former children’s program leader at Canton Public Library
𝟭𝟮𝗽𝗺: 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗔𝗠𝗣
Art-making, scavenger hunts, puzzles, games and kid-friendly tours
𝟭𝟮:𝟯𝟬𝗽𝗺: 𝗣𝗼𝗲𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗠𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻! 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺
Roses are red. Violets are blue. Who can be a poet? You! You! You! Join us as Family Day @AMP celebrates National Poetry Month. Visual art collides with poetry as you play with words across different media. Activities include large- scale collaborative kinetic poetry modeled after refrigerator poetry kits, junk journal creation, and found poetry collage. Anyone can be a poet, even if you don’t know it!
AMP’s Family Days are supported by the generosity of The Comis Foundation and Torrington Bank.
LIVE @AMP
Our LIVE @AMP series offers intimate musical performances against a huge, colorful backdrop. With its five-story mural and multiple viewing platforms, Connecticut’s most unique art space is also the Nutmeg State’s coolest concert space. Whether it’s an evening of jazz, rock, folk or R&B, Live @AMP is a stellar night opportunity to vibe out with fellow music-lovers, award-winning musicians and vocalists in an unparalleled setting.
Women Take the Lead
This year’s LIVE @AMP lineup puts the spotlight on women artists who bring a diverse array of styles and artistry to vibrant life.
Vocal Fireworks: Women to the Front
Saturday, April 18
Doors: 7pm | Show: 8pm
After a standing-room-only performance in 2025, our collegiate a cappella showcase is back! This “Women to the Front” edition spotlights three all-female ensembles that are sure to hit all the right notes: Central Connecticut State University’s AcaBellas, UConn’s Rubyfruit, and Yale’s Something Extra. Don’t get left out in the cold; reserve your tickets today for a hot evening of Vocal Fireworks!
A powerhouse voice redefining today’s jazz, in a venue like no other.
The Venue
AMP offers a one-of-a-kind experience for concertgoers, providing tickets with access to all levels to mingle, dance, and take in the entire sweep of the grand art of work mural—plus balcony seating. The venue’s innovative approach bridges music and visual art, making it a standout destination in Northwestern Connecticut.
ACTIVITIES 10AM–2PM | FREE ADMISSION ALL DAY
Roll up your sleeves for art-making activities inspired by National Craft Month. Join a docentled tour of the collection and learn how makers drew inspiration from nature and local materials; then be inspired by the works on view and create a one-of-a-kind wooden artwork. Watch artists from Hartford Stitch contribute to the America’s Tapestry project, a community project celebrating untold stories of the original 13 colonies during the American Revolution. Grab a complimentary bag of popcorn and stay for a free screening of The Inventor at 2pm.
Free. Registration encouraged.
Second Saturdays for Families is supported by the Art Bridges Foundation, Connecticut Health and Education Facilities Authority (CHEFA), the Andrew J. and Joyce D. Mandell Family Foundation, the Ensworth Charitable Foundation, Bank of America, N.A., Trustee, the George A. & Grace L. Long Foundation, Bank of America, N.A., Co-Trustee, the J. Walton Bissell Foundation, Inc., the David T. Langrock Foundation, the Charles Nelson Robinson Fund, Bank of America, N.A., Trustee, and the Greater Hartford Arts Council. Program supplies are generously donated by S&S Worldwide.
Join us for an Artist Talk & Studio Tour with Artist-in-Residence Irene Mamiye. Irene will present “Echo Pressé,” an ongoing body of large-scale, pressure-based monoprints developed through botanical pressing, pigment transfer, and direct contact between organic materials, textiles, and paper. Working without a traditional matrix, these works function as tactile documents, impressions of displacement and ornament that register residue, decay, and repetition. Visitors will have the opportunity to see works in progress and learn how she is expanding the series at CCP by integrating techniques such as salt-mordant etching, aquatint, linocut, and cyanotype alongside monoprinting on the Takach etching press.
Join us on Wednesday, January 28th at 1:00 PM for an artist talk and guided tour of Genesis, a retrospective solo exhibition celebrating the work of Jane Cooper. This exhibition is presented in recognition of Jane’s Best in Show award from the 2024 Annual Members’ Exhibition.
During the talk, Jane will guide visitors through her printmaking journey, beginning with her first monotype, Girl with Apple (2004)—a tender portrait of her daughter—and tracing the evolution of her practice through to her most recent works created as a studio member at CCP. The tour offers a unique, firsthand look at the ideas, techniques, and milestones that have shaped her artistic path.
The event will also feature a live demonstration of Jane’s gold leaf technique, a distinctive element found throughout many of the prints on view in Genesis. This is a special opportunity to engage with the artist, gain insight into her process, and experience the exhibition through her perspective.
Join us for an evening with acclaimed artist Julio Valdez for a special screening of his new documentary, Mapping the Layers, followed by an artist talk and Q&A. The film, which premiered on November 20, 2025, offers an intimate look into Valdez’s artistic practice, tracing the conceptual, historical, and material layers that shape his work across painting, printmaking, and installation.