Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County Appoints Stamford Resident as New Executive Director

The Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County has named Douglas Laustsen as its new executive director, according to the organization. Laustsen, a Stamford resident, will provide strategic and operational leadership for the nonprofit during what the organization describes as a period of new opportunities and ongoing challenges for the arts and culture sector.

“Douglas’ creativity, commitment to community, and experience make him exceptionally qualified to lead the Cultural Alliance at this critical time,” said CAFC board President Cheryl Williams. “We are confident that his vision and leadership will strengthen the organization and advance arts and culture in Fairfield County.”

The Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County, established in 2008, operates as a network of artists, arts organizations, cultural organizations, and creative businesses in coastal Fairfield County, according to the organization. The nonprofit serves as a designated regional service organization of the Connecticut Office of the Arts and covers a 15-town region that includes Bridgeport, Darien, Easton, Greenwich, Fairfield, Monroe, New Canaan, Norwalk, Shelton, Stamford, Stratford, Trumbull, Weston, Westport, and Wilton.

Laustsen brings extensive experience in nonprofit and creative organizations to his new role, according to the alliance. As a seasoned arts administrator, his career has focused on using the arts to build stronger and more engaged communities. He also works as an artist and musician, having completed several projects involving community engagement, audience interaction, and music technology.

Most recently, Laustsen served as director of operations for INTEMPO, which the alliance describes as a nationally recognized creative youth development organization that provides music education to children in Stamford. He currently serves as treasurer on the board of El Sistema USA, a national network of organizations committed to providing high quality music education for every child.

“One of my first goals is to make sure everyone in lower Fairfield County knows that the Cultural Alliance is the go-to source for information about arts and culture in their community,” Laustsen said. “Additionally, we are going to create opportunities for connection and learning, not just among the members, but also with local business and civic leaders.”

Laustsen emphasized his focus on building partnerships and connections within the community. “Building partnerships that are additive for everyone involved brings me a lot of joy,” he said. “I’m also a huge fan of cultural and civic spaces, and I’m excited to advocate not just for how great they are, but their importance in our society.”

In his new role, Laustsen plans to work closely with local artists, describing his approach as serving as both advocate and connector. “I’m thinking about my role with local artists as a pollinator and advocate,” he said. “As I travel the community, I want to find ideas in one place that could also thrive in another. I am also going to be their biggest fan and speak up for them whenever possible.”

The Cultural Alliance board also announced the addition of new board members, including Whitney Isola of Stamford, Jen Wastrom and Pam Robey of Redding, and Ann Lydecker of Darien.

Laustsen will support the organization’s mission to provide marketing, capacity building, professional development, and advocacy services for its members. He expressed enthusiasm for promoting the region’s cultural offerings.

“I want to make sure people acknowledge and celebrate the great cultural offerings in our region,” he said. “The Gold Coast is an incredible place to live for a lot of reasons. Among them are our arts and culture, but it’s not mentioned often enough.”