The City of Danbury, Connecticut welcomes you to experience our culture and Art. Take a look around and feel free to stop by any time.
Just a few of the things to do in Danbury. Sync to the link for the Complete Calendar.
Always something happening in Danbury.
Greater Danbury Irish Cultural Center & Foundation
Greater Danbury Irish Cultural Center 6 Lake Avenue Danbury, CT 06810
Part of the Greater Danbury Irish Cultural Center & Foundation collection
FRIENDS OF THE DANBURY LIBRARY
We're passionate about helping our library inform and enrich our community!
THE FRIENDS' LITTLE RED HOUSE BOOK STORE at 15 MAIN STREET, DANBURY
REOPENING SALE
We’ve been restocking with new inventory!!
THURSDAY, FRIDAY, SATURDAY FEBRUARY 6, 7 & 8 – 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
BOOKS AND MEDIA - HALF PRICE
INCLUDES CHILDREN’S HARDCOVER BOOKS, ALL ADULT BOOKS, CDs, & DVDs (EXCLUDES RARE & COLLECTIBLES)
Friends of the Danbury Library Little Red House Book Store will be NOT be accepting book donations during the break, except by appointment.
Fully restored train station, a research library, and historic railroad equipment with rolling stock. All at 120 White Street Danbury, Connecticut. Welcome aboard!
Hours
The Museum’s regular hours are Saturdays and Sundays from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
Most visitors to the museum start by taking a walk through our main building, Danbury Union Station. Inside you’ll find artifacts, photo displays, model railroads, and a play area for our younger visitors. Our 10-acre railyard is home to over 70 pieces of railroad rolling stock; a select few pieces are rotated in and out and open to visitors for touring. We are open year-round with weekend train rides April through October and Santa Trains in December.
Accessibility
Both our Station and railyard are wheelchair accessible, but unfortunately due to their age, our trains are not.
Admission
Standard Admission Prices Age 3 and up - $7.00
Members & visitors under age 3 - FREE
There is an extra fee for Train Rides (when available).
CityCenter Danbury
Danbury Rising Expo: Emerging Artist
March 29 @ 12:00 pm - 4:00 pm
FREE ADMISSION – ALL ARE WELCOME!
Get ready for an exciting showcase of up-and-coming talent at our first Danbury Rising Art Expo! We’re bringing together some of the most promising young artists from Western Connecticut State University, Naugatuck Valley Community College, and beyond for a one-time-only exhibit featuring their best work.
Don’t miss this exclusive pop-up experience—come support local talent and be part of the movement!
A Preview of the summer’s events
Danbury’s Poet Laureate
Working together for Danbury Arts and Culture
The Danbury Cultural Commission is sponsoring the Danbury Cultural Collaborative.
The Collaborative provides a platform for those arranging performances and other cultural activities, along with facilitators (like DCC, Cultural Alliance of Western CT, and businesses), to meet, share their work, collaborate, leverage resources, expand networks, share helpful hints (advertising, grants), ask questions, and more. I hope you, or a member of your organization, can join us.
Non-alcoholic beverages and light refreshments will be served. Email the Commission at NewsRoom@DanburyArts.com so we know how much to provide.
The Charles Ives Birthplace
The 150th birthday of Charles Ives is in the history books! Thanks to the incredible generosity of Ives Bank, the Charles Ives Birthplace is re-opening for tours!
We're excited for you to visit and learn more about Danbury's Pulitzer Prize-winning composer, maverick, and the father of American classical music.
And take the other historic buildings tour
The Danbury Museum Main Street campus is home to four historic buildings: the John & Mary Rider House (1785), the John Dodd Hat Shop (1790), the Little Red Schoolhouse, and the Marian Anderson Studio. The tour lasts roughly 1 hour, please note that these buildings are NOT air conditioned.
Book your tour for 1pm Fridays or Saturdays on Eventbrite.
Make it stand out
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Danbury Concert Association
The Danbury Concert Association, a 501(c)(3) organization with a volunteer board and officers, brings professional music to area audiences in cooperation with the music department of Western Connecticut State University.
The Spring concerts will be March 16 , 2025 and June 7, 2025.
Concerts are usually Sunday at 3:00 in the Visual & Performing Arts Center, 43 Lake Ave Ext, Danbury, Connecticut.
Subscribe now!
Enjoy the concert series for $25 per adult.
Order by mail exclusively
Send your check along with this printable order form or the tear-off form in our series brochure to our post office box.
Purchase single tickets online
Tickets to individual concerts are $25 per adult, available exclusively from Eventbrite
or at the VPAC box office. Tickets will go on sale 4 weeks before each concert date
Admission is free for 18 and under
Courtesy of a grant from the Danbury Cultural Commission. Advance reservations are required via Eventbrite, wcsuvpac.eventbrite.com.
2025 Season Auditions
April 10, 12 & 13
The Center for Performing and Visual Arts in Danbury
The Richter House renovation project is complete. Many improvements were made Watch for the Spring series.
Welcome...
...to the Richter Arts Spring 2025 Performing Arts season!
All Richter Arts events are free and no tickets or reservations are required for attendance. We ask only that you consider making a modest donation to help us pay for the performances. Enjoy the shows!
Danbury Multi-media Arts Gallery
The 2022 gallery is Complete.
What is the Gallery?
The Danbury Multimedia Arts Gallery is meant to showcase the talents of those in the Greater Danbury Area. Our goal is to give a platform for artists of all skill levels an opportunity to provide exposure for local artists. This Gallery is made possible by the Danbury Cultural Commission.
The theme of this Gallery is Nostalgia.
To view the gallery Click Danbury Multimedia Arts Gallery 2022 from the menu above.
Ives Concert Park
Tucked away in a lush oasis of natural beauty on Danbury’s west side, Ives Concert Park hosts world-renowned artists in a wide variety of music and theater genres. Named for famed local composer Charles Edward Ives, the venue pays tribute to its storied roots in classical music while acknowledging the ongoing evolution of the art of live performance
Stay safe everyone!
There is a Go Fund Me memorial fund in honor of Eric Lewis and his wonderful wife, Katherine Dorn Lewis. As many of you know, Eric was an extraordinarily gifted musician and beautiful human being who inspired and touched the lives of countless students and fellow artists. He was a beloved professor, husband, brother, father, grandfather and uncle. Anyone who met him would instantly recognize his warm heart, empathy, and resounding passion for music and world peace. Many know that Eric's legacy as a violinist and teacher is a truly incredible one:
Born in the Bronx to Robert and Lillian Lewis, he was educated at the Manhattan School of Music. He was a founding member and first violinist of the Manhattan String Quartet for 45 years and toured the world extensively with them. The quartet played the role of cultural ambassador to the USSR after glasnost, and was the first American quartet to play Shostakovich in Russia. The quartet's recordings of the full Shostakovich cycle were highly acclaimed, the group being described as a "national treasure" by Time Magazine. The quartet held many residencies, including Music Mountain. Mr. Lewis was also a founding member of the Prometheus piano quintet. He was Professor of Music at Western Connecticut State University for 35 years, where he was cherished by his students as a passionate and committed teacher who made classical music come alive. He was involved in the founding of the Ives Center in Danbury, CT and many other initiatives to enrich the local culture. In addition to his wife, he is survived by his son Jamie Lewis, grandson's Xavier and Jaxon Lewis, his brother Roy and his wife Maggie, his ex-wife Judith Glyde, and many nieces and nephews.
American Theater Wing
Jonathan Larson Grants
Applications for the 2024 Jonathan Larson Grants are now CLOSED!
The Jonathan Larson Grant is an unconditional annual investment in individual talent. The grant is awarded to musical theatre composers, lyricists, and librettists, or writing teams, early in their career, to support artistic endeavors and safeguard long-term music writing careers.
Grants at CT Humanities
CT Humanities offers a wide variety of grant lines to support strong humanities projects and the institutions that offer them.
Deadlines
May 2: Quick Grants $250-$4,999
May 2: Planning Grants $5,000-$25,000
May 2: Implementation Grants $5,000-$35,000
May 2: Capacity Grants $1,500-$9,999
Spark Good grants are awarded through an open application process
The Grant process will open in March
Local Community grants range from a minimum of $250 to a maximum of $5,000.
Eligible nonprofit organizations must operate on the local level
Click the logo for complete details
2022 was the 125th birthday of Marian Anderson
Find out a little about this Danbury resident, World famous contralto, and the only lifetime member of the Danbury Cultural Commission.
Click to the link from the above menu or on the photo.
128 EAST LIBERTY STREET, SUITE 3, DANBURY, CT, 06810
The Gallery at Still River Editions is open 8:30 am - 5 pm Monday through Friday, and during posted hours for special events.
Current Exhibition
Unclaimed land
sumi paintings by Bob Keating.
january 11-march 28, 2025
Free and open to the public
Upcoming Exhibition
Trailer Box Project
at Trailer Box Project in Bethel, Conn.
Gallery Open by Appointment
(203) 797 0230
The Gallery at the Visual & Performing Arts Center
Western Connecticut State University Westside Campus
43 Lake Ave Extension, Danbury
Gallery Hours: Tues–Fri, 12–4, Sat–Sun, 1–4
Welcome to the 2023 Richter Arts Member Art Show
Richter Arts thanks all the artists for participating in the Member Art Show.
There were 42 entries!
Once again, thank you all so much. It put a big plus toward Richter Arts.
Betty Clark - Visual Arts Chairperson
Arline Corcoran - Visual Arts Co - Chairperson
The Artist
Hub
The Artist Hub CT is for practicing and aspiring Teaching Artists to network and share experiences through workshops, panel discussions, observations, coaching, symposiums, mentorship & more. Click the image for more…
The Palace Danbury
Your downtown destination for music, theatre, comedy, film and more.
FREE ONSITE PARKING FOR PATRONS DURING EVENTS
Questions? Call The Box Office at (203) 794-9944 between 1-5 PM daily
Performance art
The Connecticut Office of the Arts (COA) is working towards a fulltime telework plan to promote social distancing in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. During this time, we are available to you through email and telephone and encourage you to contact us. A list of COA staff can be found here.
From Connecticut Office of the Arts
Federal Funding Update
Beginning in April 2022, all organizations applying for funding from the Connecticut Office of the Arts will be required to have a Unique Entity ID (UEI) from SAM.gov in alignment with requirements from the National Endowment for the Arts.
Individuals applying for Connecticut Office of the Arts funding do not need to create a SAM UEI.
The federal government is transitioning from the use of Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) generated by Dun and Bradstreet to a new Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) through the SAM.gov system as the primary identifier. This transition is a federal, government-wide initiative and the new SAM UEI is required of state, regional, and local agencies, along with nonprofit organizations who receive federal funding. The new SAM UEI is also required of subgrantees of state, regional, and local agencies.
Reopening Guidelines for performing arts venues have been updated.
Effective Wednesday, August 7, performing arts venues may operate at 100% capacity with spacing and can sell concessions/food. Local Mask requirements apply. Please note that this is dependent on continued stability of COVID-19 metrics.
For more information on Connecticut's Reopening Guidelines, visit www.ct.gov.
Looking for some guidance on how to proceed in these novel times?
Click on the link to the State Connecticut’s Arts & Culture Industry Guidelines for Operating During COVID-19
If you have a COA grant to support a program or event taking place during this time of increased concern, be aware that we will allow you to postpone and reschedule and will, if necessary, extend the grant funding period.
Be sure to contact the manager of the grant program via email to alert them to the change.
Regional Initiative Grants, Supporting Arts in Place and CT Arts Endowment: Rhonda Olisky
Arts Project Grants, Artist Fellowship and ARTE-accesible: Tamara Dimitri
Arts Learning Grants: Bonnie Koba
Directed Local Funds: Lu Rivera
Arts Workforce Initiative: Brianna Walston Regine
Cultural Alliance of Western Connecticut
Business Owners & Event Operators
Consider requiring customer or attendees to wear a mask in the following settings:
When they are inside an establishment or at a large indoor event or private gathering IF THE SPACE IS NOT DESIGNED FOR CONTINUOUS SOCIAL DISTANCING .
If not specifically required, consider posting signage indicating that unvaccinated customers are required to wear a mask and any customer is invited to wear a mask if they are more comfortable doing so.
When they are inside an establishment or at a large indoor event or private gathering where there is likely to be A MIX OF VACCINATED AND UNVACCINATED PEOPLE (including children younger than 12 years).
At large outdoor events open to the public and/or where LARGE CROWDS ARE EXPECTED and unvaccinated people (including children younger than 12 years) are likely to be in attendance.
Consider requiring employees to wear a mask:
If they are UNVACCINATED OR THEIR VACCINATION STATUS IS UNKNOWN, and they cannot maintain continuous separation from customers or coworkers.
Celebrating the Congressional Art Competition - 2025 Highlight Reel
Check it out, the full video for the #discoverDanbury campaign! www.danbury-ct.gov www.discoverdanbury.LIVE
Happy 2023 from the Make Music Day Family!
Make Music Day organizers from four continents have created a 1-minute song with our wishes for the new year, led by Eren Tokgoz of Make Music Turkey with contributors from Pakistan, Isle of Man, the United States, and Peru.
Danbury’s 6th Year
Check https://makemusicday.org/danbury/ for details and to participate.
And thanks to the Make Music Danbury Coordinator:
John Fazio Jr., Musician, at www.Johnfaziojr.com and CEO Entertainmycrowd.com Local, Trusted, Entertainer Booking
It doesn't just make sense to have live music at your establishment…
it makes dollars!
The Connecticut Ballet has been working and performing in Danbury for a good number of years. While their school program and outdoor performances at the Ives Concert park were curtailed this past year, here is a sample of their work.
“OUTSIDE THE BOX”
In Fall of 2017, Mayor Boughton asked local artists and graphic designers to submit draft proposals for consideration in the City’s Traffic Box Art Program. A selection committee chose 7 artists for our first round of 9 traffic boxes. Art was prepped by Merritt Big Color and placed on vinyl wrapping for our traffic boxes.
“Downtown Danbury represents the vibrancy of our city and our community. By partnering with our local residents for this project, we attempt to capture that vibrancy in a new, unique, and artistic way,” said Mayor Boughton. “Our call to artists brought in folks of all ages who live in and around Danbury, to team up with the City and bring this special public art project to life in downtown. We hope you will take a walk through our city center and enjoy these art pieces.”
St. James’ Danbury the oldest carillon in Connecticut and the first carillon made in America