Southbury Arts & Culture Alliance (SACA) has announced the launch of the Community Spark Exchange, a new signature series of educational lectures and interactive panel discussions designed to engage, inspire and connect the Southbury community around creative and cultural topics.
The series will explore the intersections of arts, history, heritage and civic dialogue by bringing together local, regional and national voices in an inclusive, accessible format.
Six events are planned for 2026, each highlighting a different aspect of art, culture and community. Programs will blend lectures, fireside chats, and moderated panels to provide educational enrichment, community dialogue and diverse perspective.
The first event in the series is:
Artivism: Turning Art into Action Through Performance & Dialogue
Using Art as a Pathway to Activism Around Systemic Brutality and Social Injustice
Saturday, Feb. 28, 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Southbury Public Library (Brown Room)
Artist Steve Parlato will present works from his They Are Not Disposable series, a collection that inspired Not Disposable: The Play. The program will feature live spoken-word performance excerpts by producer MayaRose of Spoken Word, along with original poetry by local artists in the cast.
Organizers describe the immersive “Theatre Artivism” event as an exploration of systemic injustice and moral responsibility through performance, spoken word and visual art. The event will conclude with a moderated panel discussion and community dialogue examining art as activism and how creative expression can inspire understanding, conversation and collective action for social change.
Featured speakers include MayaRose, a local poet and playwright whose work addresses themes of equity and justice; Steve Parlato, the mosaic collage artist whose work inspired the play; and local poets and cast members Niah Marie Pearson, Dee True Poetry and Kat Fovcaccia.
The Community Spark Exchange reflects SACA’s ongoing commitment to fostering creativity, dialogue and cultural enrichment in Southbury. By creating space for diverse voices and thoughtful conversation, organizers say the series aims to strengthen community bonds while highlighting the role of the arts in shaping understanding and shared experience.
“The Community Spark Exchange was created to spark meaningful conversation through the arts,” said Kristen Angell Iseppi, SACA Secretary and Spark chair. “We believe creative expression can open doors to deeper understanding and connection within our community.”
Registration for Artivism: Turning Art into Action Through Performance & Dialogue is preferred and available at www.southburyartsandculturealliance.org/spark.
For more information about SACA and upcoming programs, visit www.southburyartsandculturealliance.org or email info@southburyartsandculturealliance.org.
The Southbury Record 