The Center for New Media & the Arts was a 2,400ft square loft space with 15ft-high ceilings, and 17 x 9ft-tall windows located on the second floor of the 1848 Opera House building in Bethel, Ct. It’s the same space where P.T. Barnum once had a vaudeville stage, and where Mark Twain played pool when the downstairs was a billiard hall. Listed in the National Registry of Historic Places, the building has a rich history. It once housed a hat factory, a Hudson car dealership, the Bethel High School Gym, the Bethel Post Office, and even a roller skating rink. It was an honor to create a space wherein the arts in all disciplines could thrive in a space with that kind of history.
Our mission was to serve, enliven, and enrich the community by providing a space wherein the arts in all disciplines and arts education can thrive. The arts celebrate all aspects of our lives. They serve to enlighten us and broaden our horizons. The arts inform our perspective, cultivate cultural and personal expression, and expand our capacity for empathy and compassion. In short, they teach us about life.
