Mission:
The Schelfhaudt Gallery is one of the largest and prestigious galleries of the Fairfield area, boasting of more than 3200 square feet of exhibition space. Based in the newly renovated Shintaro Akatsu School of Design on the University of Bridgeport Campus, it stands as a high watermark of creative thought and design. The gallery’s mission statement is to showcase mid-career and emerging professional artists for cultural and educational experiences. Located by the beautiful shoreline of Long Island Sound, it is an oasis for culture and the arts.
History:
The ABC Gallery, which originally opened in 1968 at the Arnold Bernhard Center, has a terrific history of commitment to its local community and the Arts. The gallery have featured some of the most important artists in American art from Robert Motherwell to Red Grooms, Louise Nevelson, and Alice Neel. In October 2012, The University of Bridgeport changed the gallery’s name to the Schelfhaudt Gallery, in honor of Peter Schelfhaudt, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the advertising firm Creative Partners. Mr. Schelfhaudt’s gift to UB supports the gallery, through exhibitions and visiting-artist programs, the Arnold Bernhard Center and to the great benefit of the University and the surrounding community. Artists provide unique insight into the human experience, reflect society, expose its humanity, and ideally lead and inspire. I am pleased to support the University’s commitment to resurrecting the vitality of the Arnold Bernhard Center so that students and the local community can enjoy and participate in the arts.