From the Executive Director

A Summer wrap-up: Festival Life meets Anti-Internationalism

Profoundly symbolic in every way, this banner represented what all of us working in the world of festivals strive for every day: to create a pathway through the arts and humanities that brings the...

Arts & Ideas Hosts a U.S. Naturalization Ceremony on the New Haven Green June 24

Twenty-six people from 19 countries became citizens of the United States today, right here in New Haven.

Arts & Culture: The Gateway to International Business Development

Arts, culture and diplomacy kicked open the door to a wildly productive and informative business development trip to Montreal.

2015 Arts Award: Art Recharged

Today the Festival received the Arts Council's Art Recharged award alongside brilliant New Haven Community artists and thinkers
Below is executive director Mary Lou Aleskie's acceptance speech
In...

New Haven has yet another opportunity to see the work of Bill T. Jones

Dear Friends,
Do you remember the summer of 2010 when Elizabeth Alexander interviewed Bill T. Jones at the Festival just a day after his landmark Tony Award for choreography in Fela!? And were you...

Festival Executive Director Mary Lou Aleskie reflects on artistry and interdependence

“9/11 is a litmus test of our humanity”…
Bill T. Jones, choreographer/director(link to video)
With the precision and directness of a lightening bolt, in words and movement Bill has the amazing...

Global opportunities and interdependence

A blog from the road by Festival Executive Director Mary Lou Aleskie.

Sitting in Warsaw's Frederic Chopin Airport waiting for my connection home from Tbilisi, I am trying to sort through the details...

Remembering Jean Handley

"Her strategic thinking, coupled with passion and a willingness to dream was an amazing combination" said Mary Lou Aleskie, Executive Director of the International Festival of Arts & Ideas. "She was...

A Message from the Executive Director

June 29, 2009
Thank you all for being with us over the past two weeks and for filling this Festival with tremendous energy and joy. You, our audience and friends, made it a great Festival by being...

Executive Director Mary Lou Aleskie reflects on a night at Town Hall

By MARY LOU ALESKIE
Executive Director
The tunes were there Little Rootie Tootie, Crepuscule with Nellie,'Round Midnight...the ones we immediately associate with Monk...but the surprise in Jason...

We Want You To Be The First To Know!

An Announcement About The 2009 Festival From Executive Director Mary Lou Aleskie
Dear Friends,
Global Interdependence. Think Global, Act Local. Responsibility and Accountability.
Who knew just how...

Festival Blog: Mary Lou Aleskie Shares Her Plans for Tonight"s Events

Dear All,
Gamelan Galak Tika and Ensemble Robot will perform at Woolsey Hall tonight at 7 pm. Weather and wetness has prevented us from moving forward on the Green. Even if the weather were to...