CT Office of the Arts Grants Internship to Maritza Quintuna

The Connecticut Office of the Arts (COA) has awarded an Art WorkForce Initiative Internship to Maritza Quintuna of Bridgeport. Quintuna is one of eleven students in arts and related fields selected statewide. The COA’s Arts Workforce Initiative is designed to provide an opportunity for college and emerging professional applicants that are aligned with READI Framework (Relevance, Equity, Access, Diversity, and Inclusion). This program aligns with the COA’s mission to animate a culture of creativity across Connecticut by supporting arts making and arts participation for all people.

Quintuna will fulfill her internship at City Lights Gallery under the guidance of Suzanne Kachmar, Executive Director. Headquartered at its new facility at 265 Golden Hill Street, Bridgeport, City Lights works to leverage the power of the arts to enrich, engage, nurture, heal and inspire. City Lights provides opportunities for artists of all levels, backgrounds and abilities to present and sell their art.

“Maritza Quintuna is a welcome addition to the City Lights family,” stated Suzanne Kachmar, of City Lights Gallery. “Maritza has strong artistic and administrative skills that she can develop at City Lights, while learning how to run an arts organization by working here this summer. This is a great partnership among City Lights, Connecticut Office of the Arts and Housatonic Community College,” Kachmar added. “We are grateful to the Connecticut Office of the Arts for their continued support and providing us with additional support staff through this internship program,” Kachmar said.

Quintuna is a bi-lingual full-time student at Housatonic Community College (HCC), where she also serves as a Student Ambassador. As an ambassador, she speaks regularly about HCC’s Art Program and provides tours. Recently, she was honored to submit three art pieces to the Housatonic Gallery of Art and was elected president of the Art Club.

“I always had a passion for the arts which lead me to be a graphic design student,” said Maritza Quintuna. “I enjoy creating art and am even more enthusiastic when I have the opportunity to teach or help others with what I have learned.” Quintuna said.

By working with diverse populations City Lights works to strengthen community relationships and improve the quality of life in the Park City. City Lights’s goals are to serve the community through art, raise awareness of the growing arts community in Bridgeport and make art an essential part of everyday life for the residents, visitors, and youth and business people of Greater Bridgeport.

For more information about City Lights, visit www.citylightsgallery.org