New Haven, CT — New World Haven, an interactive digital narrative reimagining how New Haven became a Silicon Valley for the Arts, is inviting community members, educators, and youth to help shape its story. Launching with a kickoff event at 6 p.m. on November 20 at Stetson Library, the project will use Afro-futuristic storytelling to connect the city’s past and present to a visionary future. Following the kickoff, attendees are invited to OFFLOAD, an open-genre open mic, at the Sandbox at 8 p.m. OFFLOAD is a space to express the thoughts, emotions, and ideas of the moment in the kindness of community.
At Stetson, participants will hear excerpts from the narrative, explore ways to contribute to the project, and brainstorm ideas to help shape the narrative’s future. Centered on activating the superpowers of New Haven’s youth through intergenerational dialogue, the project seeks to engage teenagers and young adults in writing, illustration, visual storytelling, and community-building. This is a BIPOC-centered space for those who love the Elm City to come together and co-create a more equitable and vibrant future together.
The second event in this series will take place on December 18th, 2024, also at Stetson Library at 6 p.m. This event will unveil the first screens for New World Haven, showcasing the initial installments of the narrative. This event will also be followed by an OFFLOAD open mic.
Calling Educators, Libraries, and Local Spaces to Partner
We’re actively seeking collaboration with educators and libraries across Connecticut. Whether you’re looking to bring New World Haven into your classroom to inspire your students or want to host the narrative on a screen at your library, we want to hear from you. For local spaces, whether you have a screen or need one, this is your chance to host a piece of this visionary narrative and help us expand its reach.
By engaging with the narrative, students and communities can explore themes of storytelling, technology, and creativity, making New World Haven an enriching addition to classrooms and cultural spaces alike.
How Businesses and Organizations Can Get Involved
For local businesses, organizations, and visionaries, New World Haven offers a unique opportunity to amplify your story. Through thoughtful integration into the narrative or our screens, we can creatively weave your organization’s work, mission, or vision into a groundbreaking story of New Haven’s cultural transformation. Whether you’re interested in hosting a narrative screen at your location, partnering on creative programming, or featuring your story as part of the narrative itself, there’s a place for you to join this collaborative project.
This is more than storytelling—it’s a way to engage deeply with the New Haven community, inspire youth, and become part of a larger narrative about love, resilience, and the power of collective imagination.
Community members and organizations interested in being part of the narrative are encouraged to engage by December 10th to ensure inclusion while spaces remain.
About New World Haven
New World Haven is an Afro-futuristic digital narrative that reimagines how New Haven became a global center for arts and culture. Through a story centered on five teenagers with unique superpowers, the project blends speculative fiction with the lived experiences and dreams of the New Haven community. The project is made possible through the support of the Mellon Foundation, the Arts Council of Greater New Haven, and NOIR Labs. Special thanks to Adriane Jefferson, Arthur Thomas and IfeMichelle Gardin for their early guidance and support.
Join Us
- Kickoff Event: November 20th, 2024, at 6 p.m. at Stetson Library.
- OFFLOAD Open Mic: November 20th, 2024, at 8 p.m. at The Sandbox.
- Narrative Launch Event: December 18th, 2024, at 6 p.m. at Stetson Library.
Learn more about the Artists behind New World Haven here and at newworldhaven.org. Hear the Artist’s invitation to the narrative experience in the spoken word piece below.
For additional information or to get involved, please contact nwhv@noirlabs.org.
Spoken Word Piece: A City of Repute
by: Olori Lolade Siyonbola