Sheffer Gallery
October 8 through December 15
Reception and Artist Talk: Wednesday, October 15, 6-8 pm, in the Trefz Forum; click here for more information.
(Reception kicks off at 6 pm, followed by an artist talk with guest curator and photographer Arthur Nager at 7 pm.)
About the Exhibit
Every Picture Tells a Story includes photographs from The Westport Public Art Collections selected to coordinate with StoryFest 2025 and to highlight the work of the many creative photographers represented in the collection. Curator and photographer Arthur Nager worked with Carole Erger-Fass, exhibit curator of The Westport Library, and members of the Westport Public Art Collections to identify photographs that demonstrated diverse creative and technological approaches to the medium. The work on display includes portraits, landscape studies, historical, documentary, and abstract imagery in black and white and color.
The exhibit features internationally renowned photographers Philippe Halsman, Alfred Eisenstaedt, Eliot Porter, and Lucia Nebel White; along with wonderful creative imagery from Westport photographers including Larry Silver and David Kalman, who focused on the town and region; photojournalists Spencer Platt and Lynsey Addario, among others.
Nager will also be leading a three-part Verso University workshop, Visual Storytelling: Develop Your Photographic Vision, in conjunction with his exhibit and with StoryFest 2025.
About the Curator
Throughout a 50-year career as an artist and photo educator, Arthur Nager has focused on documenting the social landscape — the people, structures and places that reflect the character of where and how we live. His goal has been to capture the details of our evolving culture to convey what is timeless and constant in our lives. His work incorporates chance, circumstance, and premonition with the element of irony.
“I am driven by curiosity to capture how people, and the visual elements that surround us are overlooked and taken for granted but key to understanding the culture in which we live.”
Nager’s work is part of educational and museum collections including The International Museum of Photography at The George Eastman House, The South Street Seaport Museum, the Museum of Art, Santa Cruz, Kennebunk Museum, the Westport Public Art Collections, and the Mattatuck Museum in Waterbury. His recent exhibit focusing on the towns of the Naugatuck Valley took place at the Mattatuck Museum earlier this year.
About WestPAC
The Westport Public Art Collections (WestPAC) include nearly 2,000 works of art in diverse media — from paintings and prints to photographs, sculpture, and murals — by major American and international artists. Most of the works were donated by artists, heirs, and collectors, and are displayed throughout Westport’s municipal buildings and public schools. The town-appointed WestPAC Committee cares for the collection and fulfills its mission to use original works of art to inspire and educate students, residents, and the broader community.
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For more about the Library art exhibits, visit the Art at the Library page.
Experience nature, memory, abstraction, and form through a uniquely personal lens with three new art exhibits currently on display at The Westport Library now through October 5.
Closing out the summer are Steve Moen’s Circling Back in the Library’s Sheffer Gallery, Tom Kretsch’s A Symphony of Color in the South Gallery, and Linn Cassetta’s Eggcentric in the Jesup Gallery. True to the experiences that have shaped each artist, these works are connected through their shared narrative themes and artistic processes.
Each exhibit will have an accompanying reception and artist conversation with Miggs Burroughs. Moen’s reception will take place on Wednesday, August 13; Kretsch’s will take place on Wednesday, August 27; and Cassetta’s will take place on Wednesday, September 17. Each reception will take place from 6 to 7 pm, with the accompanying conversation running from 7 to 8 pm.
For Moen, painting is a process of returning — both to physical places and emotional landscapes. Circling Back began with visits back to Westport, where Moen's childhood memories live in the tidal marshes and the rocks and boulders along the shore.
Each piece starts with small studies created on-site — watercolors, quick oils on tin flashing, or digital sketches on an iPhone — then evolves in the studio into larger works. Color perception, memory, and emotion guide the process. Poetry, especially haiku, often plays a quiet role, offering focus and emotional resonance.
Moen considers painting a problem-solving adventure, one that engages both intellect and emotion. Each piece, large or small, finds its own path to completion, however long that may take. Over days or weeks, a dialogue unfolds between poem and image.
"I begin with intuition, follow with exploration, and embrace the challenge of making something both thoughtful and felt,” Moen said. “In the end, I aim for a painting where composition and color speak deeply to the viewer."
Kretsch captures the quiet poetry of the land and sea and places in-between. From misty harbors, sun-drenched porches, abandoned structures on the plains, and old barns that ooze with texture, his compositions often feel like memories: soft, still, and filled with a sense of place.
With a painter’s eye for light and balance, Kretsch brings an artful calm to everyday scenes, making the ordinary extraordinary. This soulful serenity is highlighted in A Symphony of Color.
Kretsch’s background as an educator and lifelong traveler informs his ability to see beauty in the simple and the small. Peaceful environments shine through his work — particularly in his two published books On the Road, Five Visions and Touching Maine. The latter was a labor of love, with essays and photographs made over a 10-year span from visits to the coast of Maine.
Kretsch is active in outdoor art festivals throughout the area, with awards from numerous shows, including the Bruce Museum Show, The Brunswick Arts Festival, and the Wilton Library Annual Photography Show. His work has been featured in projects by Sloane Kettering Hospital, Morgan Stanley, and locally in Rizzuto’s Restaurant, as well as at The Nylen Gallery in Westport and Frame & Save in Fairfield and Norwalk.
“It is a great honor to have been given a chance to share my work here in this beautiful library,” Kretsch said. “Our family has lived in this vibrant town for just over 50 years, and it has truly been a sweet, special sanctuary to call home."
Eggs are represented in every piece of art Cassetta makes, culminating in Eggcentric. Her connection to eggs goes back to some of her earliest experiences as a young girl in western Pennsylvania, where she spent her days wandering in the woods, drawing organic forms of nature, and finding feathers, broken eggs, and nests.
"At my aunt's chicken farm, I'd sit for hours, mesmerized by the eggs going down the conveyor belt, enchanted by their perfection, enchanted by the calm I felt." Cassetta said. "As a structure, it has magical qualities. A shape and form that has existed forever, it represents beginnings, hope, and perpetuity. An egg equals creation, simultaneously strong and fragile."
After receiving her BFA with honors from the Rhode Island School of Design, Cassetta became the first American accepted to the fashion department at the Royal College of Art in London, where she earned her MA.
In the first chapter of her career, Cassetta became an established figure in apparel and footwear design. At 25, she launched her own highly acclaimed apparel label Linn Callahan Designs. Later in her career, she refocused her talent on interior design, decorative and tromp l'oeil painting, and tabletop design. Her work has been featured in Martha Stewart's book, New Old House, among others.
From her work on the first Calvin Klein shoe collection, her own apparel collection in Saks Fifth Avenue, an earthenware collection for Deruta of Italy, and her restoration of a 1900s French style villa featured in numerous publications including House Beautiful and Connecticut Cottages and Gardens, Cassetta’s wide range of interdisciplinary art transcends boundaries.
Jesup Gallery
August 2 through October 5
Reception: Wednesday, September 17, 6-8 pm, in the Trefz Forum; click here for more information.
(Reception kicks off at 6 pm, followed by a conversation between Cassetta and Miggs Burroughs at 7 pm.)
Eggs are represented in every piece of art Linn Cassetta makes. Her connection to eggs goes back to some of her earliest experiences as a young girl in western Pennsylvania, where she spent her days wandering in the woods, drawing organic forms of nature, and finding feathers, broken eggs, and nests.
"At my aunt's chicken farm, I'd sit for hours, mesmerized by the eggs going down the conveyor belt, enchanted by their perfection, enchanted by the calm I felt." Cassetta said, speaking to the perfect shape of an egg and the power of what it represents. "As a structure, it has magical qualities. A shape and form that has existed forever, it represents beginnings, hope, and perpetuity. An egg equals creation, simultaneously strong and fragile."
After receiving her BFA with honors from the Rhode Island School of Design, Cassetta became the first American accepted to the fashion department at the Royal College of Art in London, where she earned her MA. Her final show received a standing ovation.
In the first chapter of her career, Cassetta became an established figure in apparel and footwear design. She was the Design Director at Andrew Geller Shoes, based in New York and Civitanova Marche, Italy. She was part of the team that was instrumental in creating the first Calvin Klein shoe collection, and captured the Vogue Shoe of the Year Award.
At 25, she launched her own highly acclaimed apparel label Linn Callahan Designs. Her collection was featured in the windows of Saks Fifth Avenue NYC, which also housed a Linn Callahan boutique space. As Japan was the source of many of the textiles she developed for her label, these relationships led to a global position as Design Director for an international private label development at C. ITOH, a large Japanese trading company. She worked directly with store buyers and executives, dividing her time between New York, Tokyo, Osaka, and Hong Kong. She then lived in Paris for several years doing freelance apparel illustration.
Later in her career, as the mother of three children, Cassetta refocused her talent in the U.S. on interior design, decorative and tromp l'oeil painting, and tabletop design. Her work was featured in Martha Stewart's book, New Old House, among others. She also created an earthenware collection for Deruta of Italy and restored a 1900s French style villa. This work was featured in numerous publications including House Beautiful and Connecticut Cottages and Gardens.
Working from her studio in an artist enclave in Connecticut, Cassetta now focuses her energy on a deeper exploration of the beloved EGG and interior design. Her creations continue to be well informed by her vastly interdisciplinary background.
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For more about the Library art exhibits, visit the Art at the Library page.
South Gallery
August 2 through October 5
Reception: Wednesday, August 27, 6-8 pm, in the Trefz Forum; click here for more information.
(Reception kicks off at 6 pm, followed by a conversation between Kretsch and Miggs Burroughs at 7 pm.)
Along the wooden weathered docks
boats bob gracefully to the
whims of the water
in a blending of reality and abstraction
the colors that dance in the water
create a tapestry of shapes
that change magically
with the ebb and flow
of the dancing waters
while light glistens
soothing the soul
for just a moment
and leaving us to wonder
if we will ever see that
mysterious twinkling of time
again
— A Symphony of Color, Light and Tranquility by Tom Kretsch
Tom Kretsch of Tom’s Peaceful Places Photography captures the quiet poetry of the land and sea and places in-between. From misty harbors, to sun-drenched porches, to abandoned structures on the plains, to old barns that ooze with texture, his compositions often feel like memories: soft, still, and filled with a sense of place. With a painter’s eye for light and balance, he brings an artful calm to everyday scenes, making the ordinary extraordinary. His work is soulful and serene.
Kretsch’s background as an educator and lifelong traveler informs his ability to see beauty in the simple and the small. Whether he’s photographing New England, further afield or right here in Westport, his work speaks to his genre of peaceful places.
Mostly self-taught, Kretsch has taken courses at Maine Media, The Silvermine School of Art, and with Action Photo Tours. He has been influenced by the work of many painters including Edward Hopper, Andrew Wyeth, and the Impressionists. Photographers like Edward Weston, Joey Meyerowitz, and Henri Cartier Bresson have touched him in meaningful ways.
Kretsch spends May through October doing outdoor art festivals throughout New England, including the Westport Fine Arts Festival, Gracie Square Art Show in New York, and The Bruce Museum Art Show in Greenwich. Festivals are a chance for him to sell his work as well as network with interior designers and art consultants who have used his work in projects including Sloane Kettering Hospital, Morgan Stanley, and locally in Rizzuto’s Restaurant.
He has won numerous awards at shows and festivals including the Bruce Museum Show, The Brunswick Arts Festival, and the Wilton Library Annual Photography Show. He is represented in galleries including The Nylen Gallery in Westport and Frame and Save in Fairfield and Norwalk.
One-man shows including The Palouse-Serene, Sublime, Surreal, A River Runs through Us — A Town’s Treasure, The Saugatuck, Touching Maine, and Living in Color, A Nicaraguan Tapestry have been part of his journey.
Along the way he has published two books of his work, On the Road, Five Visions and Touching Maine. The latter was a labor of love, with essays and photographs made over a ten-year span from visits to the coast of Maine.
“It is a great honor to have been given a chance to share my work here in this beautiful library. Our family has lived in this vibrant town for just over 50 years, and it has truly been a sweet, special sanctuary to call home," Kretsch said.
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For more about the Library art exhibits, visit the Art at the Library page.
Sheffer Gallery
August 1 through October 5
Reception: Wednesday, August 13, 6-8 pm, in the Trefz Forum; click here for more information.
(Reception kicks off at 6 pm, followed by a conversation between Moen and Miggs Burroughs at 7 pm.)
For artist Steve Moen, painting is a process of returning — both to physical places and emotional landscapes. Inspired by the rhythms of nature and the unique colors of a scene, this series began with visits back to Westport, where Moen's childhood memories live in the tidal marshes and the rocks and boulders along the shore. Each piece starts with small studies created on-site — watercolors, quick oils on tin flashing, or digital sketches on an iPhone — then evolves in the studio into larger works. Color perception, memory, and emotion guide the process. Poetry, especially haiku, often plays a quiet role, offering focus and emotional resonance. The handmade pine floater frames, stained with a natural mixture of steel wool and vinegar, are the final touch — simple and thoughtful, like the paintings themselves.
On the topic of his artistic process, Moen said, "It begins with the rhythms and colors that make a place unique. The seasons, time of day, shifting tides, weather, the force of a stream or river — how did those boulders come to rest where they are? Some forces are ancient, like rock sculpted by the river. Others are sudden and fleeting, like wind across water or a cloud casting momentary shadow. Add color to this mix, and the possibilities become endless."
Moen is fascinated by the perception of light and color — the magnetic spectrum, the shifting tones in nature, and the visual magic of simultaneous color contrast. He considers painting a problem-solving adventure, one that engages both intellect and emotion. Each piece, large or small, finds its own path to completion, however long that may take. Over days or weeks, a dialogue unfolds between poem and image.
He also enjoy making the frames for his paintings. Most are floater frames built from pine, stained with a homemade mix of vinegar and steel wool that reacts with the wood’s tannins, then sealed with lacquer. Framing is the final act of care, completing the journey of each painting.
"Landscape is my starting point. … Color is my main focus. … I begin with intuition, follow with exploration, and embrace the challenge of making something both thoughtful and felt. … In the end, I aim for a painting where composition and color speak deeply to the viewer."
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For more about the Library art exhibits, visit the Art at the Library page.
Friday, June 27; Doors/DJ (Tim “Journeys by DJ” Fielding): 6 pm; Show: 7:30 pm
From honoring the legendary Keith Richards in March, to breaking the record for World’s Loudest Library during four unforgettable days of VersoFest 2025 in April, The Westport Library has had a rockin’ spring season.
Now, Verso Studios and DinkinEsh Presents are kicking off the summer with Mystic Bowie's Talking Dreads for a can’t-miss Reggae Dance Party on Friday, June 27.
The show will take place in the Library’s Trefz Forum. Doors open at 6 pm, featuring a live DJ set from Tim “Journeys by DJ” Fielding to get the groove going. Mystic will take the stage at 7:30 pm. Tickets are priced at $37.50 and are available for purchase here.
Prepare to hit the dance floor with classic Talking Heads songs reimagined through the pulse of roots reggae, ska, and lover’s rock. Not your typical cover band, Mystic Bowie’s Talking Dreads’ infectious island rhythms transform new wave anthems like “Psycho Killer” and “Burning Down the House” into funky Caribbean bangers — applauded by Chris Frantz, drummer for Talking Heads, as “a total home run!”
Known as the “Head Dread” of the Talking Dreads, lead singer Mystic Bowie traces his passion for the Talking Heads back to his early days performing at hotels in Jamaica, when he heard “Wild Wild Life.” In 1996, he joined Tom Tom Club, the side project of Talking Heads’ founding members — and Fairfield County residents — Frantz and Tina Weymouth. For nearly 20 years, he performed alongside them on vocals, making an appearance on their 2000 album The Good, the Bad, and the Funky.
Since debuting the Talking Dreads in 2015, Mystic has performed across North America, dazzling longtime Talking Heads fans and winning new ones along the way.
“Talking Dreads is much more than a cover band,” Mystic said. “I am very much drawing on my own musical culture and history to make these amazing songs my own, while at the same time preserving the integrity of the Talking Heads songs. I’ve always felt that reggae’s dance-inspiring, feel-good vibe is universal, as are many of the band’s songs.”
The Talking Dreads debut features an amazing lineup of legendary reggae figures, including singer Freddie McGregor, whose recording career dates back to his 1980 album Bobby Bobylon; ska guitar master Ernest Ranglin, who has worked with Bob Marley, Jimmy Cliff, and Monty Alexander; singer and Soul Train Award nominee Tarrus Riley; and saxophonist Dean Fraser. The sole non-Jamaican featured in their debut ensemble is Cindy Wilson of the B-52s, harkening back to the new wave heyday in a dreamy, soulful rendition of “Heaven.”
“Talking Dreads’ sound is tight,” applauded Frantz. “We had a blast the night of the show and we walked away with a definite bounce in our step.”
In their first single off their 1979 album Fear of Music, “Life During Wartime,” the Talking Heads declared, “This ain’t no party, this ain’t no disco” — but with Mystic Bowie’s Talking Dreads, it absolutely is.
Starting that party will be ace DJ Tim “Journeys by DJ” Fielding, who opened for Gang of Four during VersoFest 2025. A graduate of the Balearic school of DJing, Fielding is one of the key figures behind two of London’s most storied clubs: The Brain and The End. The founder of Brainiak Records (which released the world’s first album of live electronica bands, Live at the Brain) and of seminal imprint Journeys by DJ (the first legit series of DJ-mix CDs), Fielding produced legendary works by DJs including John Digweed, Paul Oakenfold, Farley & Heller, Coldcut, and Gilles Peterson, reflecting his own eclectic taste and broad range in music.
“I tend to play the smaller rooms,” said Fielding, “but they are usually packed with smiling faces, and people who are seriously getting down.”
Summer is right around the corner, and The Westport Library is once again turning up the heat on reading with the return of our Kids’ Summer Reading Program and Adult Summer Reading Challenge! Whether you’re a seasoned challenger or a first-time reader, there’s plenty of fun for people of all ages in this year’s ultimate page-turning season.
Kids’ Summer Reading Program
From June 1 through September 1, kids of all ages are invited to participate in our Summer Reading Program, sponsored by the Bridgeport Islanders.
Join the club and read anything, anytime, anywhere all summer long. Hone literary skills while earning free books and a chance to win a special prize! Every minute counts, and every reader wins.
Register online and log your minutes read. Each registered reader will be given a bingo card to fill out as they read.
Read and log 500 minutes to choose and take home a free book from our prize cart. Earn another free book for every 1,000 minutes logged OR for scoring a “bingo” on a bingo card. Complete the entire bingo card and be entered into a special drawing to win four tickets to the Bridgeport Islanders’ opening game this October!
Adult Summer Reading Challenge
The 9th Annual Adult Summer Reading Challenge is back and better than ever, running June 2 through August 29.
If you’ve participated in our past reading challenges, you’ll be familiar with the rules — and if this is your first time joining us, we're thrilled to have you!
Between longtime bookworms, returning champions, and challenge newcomers alike, enjoy 25 brand new categories that will inspire your reading list. Brave them all or just one — as long as you have fun reading.
The rules are simple and there are only two:
Once you've finished a book that fits a category, you can submit it through the form on our website. Track your progress on our leaderboard, where you can follow the challenge’s rankings and see what other participants are reading.
You can also join your fellow readers in our Westport Reading Challenge Facebook Group to talk books, share recommendations, and stay motivated throughout the challenge. Connect with a good book — and your community!
If you’re still unsure about joining in on the summer fun, trust the reviews from our past year’s participants:
"It was really gratifying to see what everyone has read and to challenge myself to read as much as my friends!"
"This challenge was very impressive! I loved that you could see other people's suggestions."
"I look to see what is suggested by the library as well as what other participants are reading. I am continuing to read the authors I have discovered as a result."
Step out of your comfort zone and ignite your love for reading this summer!
Read With Us!
From picture books to beach reads, to epic journeys and everything in between, The Westport Library challenges you to find your new favorite book this summer. Don’t miss out on the fun!
Grammy-nominated artist, trailblazing singer-songwriter, and Westport resident Sophie B. Hawkins will be showcasing her new original musical drama Birds of New York in an exclusive script-in-hand performance at The Westport Library on Monday, June 9, at 6:30 pm.
The event will take place in the Library’s Trefz Forum. Tickets are $40 and available for purchase here.
True to the trademark authenticity and soulfulness that has defined her diverse career, this special performance offers an early look at Hawkins’ playwriting debut, with original music, wholehearted storytelling, and emotional depth that promises to resonate with fans and theater lovers of all ages.
Currently in development, Birds of New York is directed by acclaimed Broadway and West End choreographer/director JoAnn M. Hunter (School of Rock, Bad Cinderella, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat) and features an ensemble of Broadway and local talent, including actors Liz Larsen, Carlos Velasquez Escamilla, Sarah Stiles, Ren King, and Alysha Umphress.
Birds of New York brings to life the story of an estranged daughter who returns home to New York City with her 7-year-old son to reconnect with her dying father. Amid the tensions of old conflicts with her mother and sister, she seizes on the opportunity to create a new family. When a painful childhood memory resurfaces, it sets the stage for forgiveness, healing, and redemption.
This performance comes in tandem with Hawkins’ 2025 tour celebrating the 30th anniversary of her second album, Whaler. An accomplished multi-instrumentalist, producer, and performer, Hawkins is best known for her platinum debut album Tongues and Tails and timeless hits like “Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover” and “As I Lay Me Down.” Her most recent album, Free Myself, was released in 2023 to international acclaim.
Hawkins’ multifaceted career has defied genre and industry expectations, with six studio albums, multiple awards, sold-out concerts, and songs featured in movies and on television — from recent hits Stranger Things, Euphoria, Ozark, and PEN15, to landmark series such as Beverly Hills 90210, Dawson’s Creek, The L Word, and more. Her memorable onscreen appearances include the celebrated NBC series Community, the acclaimed documentary film The Cream Will Rise, and a critically lauded performance as Janis Joplin in the nationally touring play Room 105.
“One thing I’ve heard from people is that my songs have been like teachers to them, and helped them along on their journey," Hawkins said. “I hope my music helps people feel more connected to their own heart. I hope it brings them closer to whatever makes them feel special and valuable. That’s what the music I love most has always done for me.”
Jesup Gallery
June 6 through July 29
Reception and reveal: Friday, June 6, 6 to 8 pm; click here for more information.
The Artists Collective of Westport explores the inner world of physical, metaphysical, and emotional spaces through the visual arts with an all-member show at The Westport Library this summer.
The Artists Collective of Westport’s two-part exhibition will encompass all three of the Library’s galleries — Interiors: A Look Inside in the Sheffer Gallery and South Gallery, and Piece by Piece in the Jesup Gallery.
Piece by Piece is a 6-foot by 8-foot art installation composed of the work of 48 Artists Collective members. Each artist received a 12-inch by 12-inch blank panel along with a 12-inch square section randomly selected from a well-known modern painting. The artists created their individual piece, replicating a part of the larger painting in their own style, without knowing what the final painting will look like until it is revealed at the opening reception.
Each 12-inch by 12-inch “piece” of Piece by Piece will be available for purchase starting the night of the reception. Each square will be $100, with 50% of the proceeds supporting the Library’s art programs and 50% going to the artist.
The additional artworks on display in the Sheffer and South Galleries will also be available for purchase, with a percentage of the proceeds also going to benefit the Library’s art programming. Additional exhibit support is provided by The Drew Friedman Community Arts Center.
Sheffer Gallery and South Gallery
June 6 through July 29
Reception: Friday, June 6, 6 to 8 pm; click here for more information.
The Artists Collective of Westport explores the inner world of physical, metaphysical, and emotional spaces through the visual arts with an all-member show at The Westport Library this summer.
The Artists Collective of Westport’s two-part exhibition will encompass all three of the Library’s galleries — Interiors: A Look Inside in the Sheffer Gallery and South Gallery, and Piece by Piece in the Jesup Gallery.
For Interiors, each of the Artists Collective members were invited to display a work in the medium of their choice that explores what “interiors” means to them.
Contributors this year include Bonnie Edelman, Lynn Carlson, Peggy Dembicer, and Ros Shaffer, as well as Norm Siegel, Suzanne Benton, Julie Leff, Diane Pollack, Miggs Burroughs, Kat Evans, Niki Ketchman, and more.
Do you have a song that needs some professional feedback to make it better? Allan Tepper can tell you what in your song is working, and where it might need improvement. He can provide specific steps to enhance your song. As a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Allan offers advice based on years of experience working with some of the biggest names in the industry. Send Allan your song and receive a 30-minute critique and consultation for only $30.
These coaching sessions are brought to you by Verso University at The Westport Library. Register by sending an email to Joanne Connon, Program Coordinator, at [email protected]. Sessions will be scheduled in May and June on an individual basis. Space is limited.
Allan Tepper: Music Publisher, Consultant, and Song Coach
Allan Tepper is a renowned music marketing innovator and songwriter/artist development expert with over 25 years of industry leadership. His career includes senior creative roles at Warner Chappell Music, MPL Communications (Paul McCartney’s publishing business), The Bicycle Music Company (Concord Music Publishing), and more. He has developed, discovered, and/or represented the works of top songwriters and artists like Paul McCartney, Cole Porter, Luther Vandross, Led Zeppelin, Green Day, Elton John, Billy Joel, and Michael Bolton among others. Allan’s expertise spans songwriter development, deal negotiation, A&R, promotion, marketing, and catalog acquisition.
As a skilled dealmaker and international liaison, Allan has placed countless songs in recordings, movies, TV shows, and commercials, generating tens of millions in royalties and licensing revenue. A former rock bassist, he has also run an independent label, managed rock bands, and conducted national promotion for a major record distributor. He has served as a director for the Association of Independent Music Publishers and The Music for Youth Foundation and is a voting member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation.
The Westport Library is grateful that Allan has generously offered to help local songwriters improve their craft in one-on-one coaching sessions offered by Verso University.
VersoFest 2025 weekend will be a vibrant roof-raiser, from a kickoff celebration hosted by renowned visual artist 5iveFingaz, to an illuminating evening with hardcore legend Henry Rollins and fellow musician Nabil Ayers — and now, The Westport Library is excited to welcome its newest Verso Visionary as part of this year’s annual music and media festival: three-time Grammy Award-winning hip-hop artist and co-founder of The Roots, Black Thought.
The conversation between The Roots’ lead emcee and music industry executive, entrepreneur, and celebrated community leader June Archer will take place Saturday, April 5, 4-5:30 pm, in the Library’s Trefz Forum.
The event is free to attend. Click here to register. Copies of Black Thought’s 2023 memoir, The Upcycled Self: A Memoir on the Art of Becoming Who We Are, will be for sale, with the author signing copies after the talk.
Crowned by HYPEBEAST as “one of the best lyricists in hip-hop history,” critically acclaimed musician Tariq Trotter, popularly known as Black Thought, has led a diverse creative career not only as a musician, actor, writer, and producer — but also as one of the most prolific, innovative, and powerful voices in hip hop.
Black Thought founded The Roots in 1987 alongside fellow hip-hop legend Questlove. From humble beginnings performing on Philadelphia street corners, to more than two decades of commercial success before expanding their reach in 2009 as the house band for both Late Night With Jimmy Fallon and later The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, The Roots’ eclectic, jazz-infused sound has transcended genres, with Black Thought’s influence and musical mastery rendering the group a hip-hop cornerstone.
In all, The Roots have produced 11 studio albums, including their debut, Organix (1993); the breakthrough Things Fall Apart (1999); the hard-hitting Game Theory (2006); the optimistic How I Got Over (2010); and countless more that have earned critical acclaim.
Beyond collaborations with Eminem, John Legend, J Dilla, Big Pun, Linkin Park, Logic, and Fall Out Boy, Black Thought also co-produced the multi-platinum, Grammy Award-winning original Broadway cast recording of Hamilton. He has also succeeded in in film and television, with work on projects such as HBO’s The Deuce and Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Golden Globe-nominated Tick, Tick… Boom! — as well as live theater, in his roles as main composer and lyricist of the 2022 off-Broadway production Black No More, which he also starred in.
“I think a writer should always be aware of his or her surroundings,” Black Thought told The Paris Review. “The material is there. It’s already in the world. You have to be in tune with it to hear it and see it. The best essays, the best books, all wrote themselves. Same with paintings and dances — all of the best art ... comes from the universe. You have to master the art of being in tune enough when it’s time to create.”
Like Black Thought, Archer has led a diverse career, as an entrepreneur, music industry executive, motivational speaker, and educator. After getting his start in the music industry in 1995 as a member of the Elektra Records recording group Room Service, Archer transitioned into the business side of the industry. His accolades include gold and platinum plaques for his work on albums by Jay-Z, 50 Cent, Mario, Omarion, Beyonce, and more. A two-time Grammy and Soul Train Award nominee, Archer also previously served eight years on the Grammy Committee.
In addition to his current role as CEO of The Eleven28 Entertainment Group, Archer spearheaded the documentary Stepping Into the Shade — screened at The Westport Library in June 2024 — and he hosts the The Winner’s Circle podcast for rapper 50 Cent's 'This is 50' platform. Archer is the founder of The June Archer School of Arts, The Archer Foundation, The 100 Men and Women of Color Black Tie Gala & Awards, The New England Music Seminar, the Hot Chocolate Soul performance showcase, and June Archer's Celebration of Life AIDS/Breast Cancer Fundraiser. In 2013, he also added published author to his list of distinctions, with his children’s books, Yes! You Can and Yes! Every Day Can Be a Good Day.
VersoFest is four days of music, media, and creativity, running this year from April 3 to April 6 — a forum for media creators, artists, and fans to converge. In addition to Black Thought, this year’s guests include Patti Smith, Henry Rollins, and Paul Shaffer, with a Friday evening concert by the Wallflowers, the Saturday weekend kickoff event hosted by 5iveFingaz, and an all-star panel discussion on the 50th anniversary of Bruce Springsteen’s Born to Run, plus art exhibits and workshops. In addition, VersoFest will host the kickoff event to legendary post-punk band Gang of Four’s farewell tour on April 18.
Past VersoFest guests have bridged connections between genre and medium, including hip hop legend Chuck D, established hit-makers Spin Doctors and the Smithereens, up-and-coming bands Sunflower Bean and the Lemon Twigs, rockers Lez Zeppelin, famed producers Steve Lillywhite (U2, Dave Matthews Band) and Tony Visconti (David Bowie, T. Rex), Psychedelic Furs frontman Richard Butler, the Doors drummer John Densmore, Cramps drummer Miriam Linna, Alice Cooper Group bassist Dennis Dunaway, hip-hop originators Tony Crush and Grand Wizzard Theodore, Manic Panic’s Tish and Snooky, and a wide array of authors, photographers, artists, and thought leaders.
