New London
Connecticut
Hygienic Art
About Us:
Hygienic Art, Inc. was created as an incorporated structure in the fall of 1979, when artists employed by a federal Comprehensive Education and Training Act (CETA) grant decided, as a final project, to hold an outsiders' art festival. The show was modeled after the "Salon Des Independants," a late 19th century art movement in Paris in which artists had protested the aristocracy by exhibiting their works in cafes located in the 'seamy' areas of the city. The artists in those exhibitions gave rise to the great French Impressionist movement.
The exhibition was presented at the Hygienic Restaurant, New London's only 24 hour eatery, which had been open since 1919. The rules were simple; no judge, no jury, no fees, no censorship, one piece per artist and all were welcome. The show was an immediate success and the Hygienic Art Exhibition became an annual creative arts festival, attracting over 450 artists and an audience of thousands.
The Hygienic Restaurant closed in 1985 and the show continued in other historic venues in the city. Hygienic Art was formally incorporated in 1987 to save the exhibition from speculators who wanted to use the Hygienic name to promote other festivals in the city.
Recent News
Hygienic Art Happenings Newsletter for May and June 2025
Opus for Peace Comedy Bebop Open Mic Cut and Capture Rooted: Resident Exhibition Grayson Hugh and Polly Messer Hygienic History & Preservation Sunday Free Community Yoga Rotary Club of New London invited artists to participate in Opus…
Read More »Call to Artists: Opus for Peace, A Juried Exhibition at Hygienic Art
Rotary Club of New London invites artists to participate in Opus for Peace, a juried exhibition at Hygienic Art exploring the theme of PEACE. In a world often divided, art has the power to unify, heal, and inspire. This exhibition is part of the…
Read More »Call for Artists: Opus for Peace Juried Art Exhibition
Call for Artists: Juried Art Show at Hygienic Art Rotary Club of New London invites artists to participate in Opus for Peace, a juried exhibition at Hygienic Art exploring the theme of PEACE. In a world often divided, art has the power to…
Read More »Hygienic Art Happenings Newsletter - March 2025
Beneath the Surface Artist Talk/Demo Sunday Free Community Yoga The Wandering Uterus Emergence Call for Artists Beneath the Surface Join Catherine Mansell at her upcoming art talk, hosted by Hygienic Art Gallery.…
Read More »Hygienic Art Happenings Newsletter - October 2024
The F-Stops Here A heartfelt thank you to everyone who attended the F-Stops Here Photography Show opening night at the Hygienic Art Gallery on October 12th! Your presence made the event truly special. The evening was filled with captivating…
Read More »Exhibition - I Dream in Color Except When I Don't at Hygienic Art
Every piece that John Craig creates from a place he can’t describe, usually in a burst of chaotic, directionless energy that he tries to bring into some kind of focus. He generally use putty knives and spray cans and try to keep it more or…
Read More »Exhibition - Searching Shambala at Hygienic Art
Artist Madhur Dhingra is an Impressionist / Surreal / Fine Art photographer based in Toronto (Canada) & New Delhi (India). He started his career in photography in the year 1998. Madhur's images are creations of a personal journey where he…
Read More »Exhibition - Living in The Temple of My Dreams at Hygienic Art
Five local artists, each working and living their visions - in the studio, in the world, with community, alone, in real time, and in imagined time - conspire together to present moments from these explorations, in a show titled; “Living in the…
Read More »Hygienic Art Happenings Newsletter for April 2024
Stoimen Stoilov Redux “The swans on the river, a great flotilla in the late afternoon sun in October again. In a fantasy, Yeats saw himself appear to Maud Gonne as a swan, his plumage fanning his desire.” Excerpt from Poem by William…
Read More »Hygienic Art News And Updates - March 2024
March 2024 NEWS & UPDATES Stoimen Stoilov Redux Gallery One Collective Sunday Free Community Yoga Stoimen Stoilov Redux Stoimen Stoilov Redux, curated by Johnes Ruta and Richard Harteis Opens March 23, 2024 at 6pm. In the late…
Read More »Hygienic Art News And Updates - February 2024
February 2024 NEWS & UPDATES Crafts and Cocktails Pierre Sylvain Solo Exhibit: Textile Art Beyond Boundaries Imaginarium Unleashed: A Fusion of Comic, Assemblage and Raw Meat Artistry Sunday Free Community Yoga Crafts & Cocktails…
Read More »Hygienic Art Park News And Updates - January 2024
January 2024 NEWS & UPDATES Annual Appeal Whalers, Lancers & Saints Salon Des Independants XLV Free Community Yoga Hygienic Art is a non-profit arts organization dedicated to creating an enriching cultural experience in the City of New…
Read More »Work/Live Artist Studio Available
Hygienic Artists Collective NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS! STUDIO SPACE AVAILABLE! Base Rent $850 per month with the choice & opportunity to work 8 hours in the gallery or art park for a $200 credit applied to the base rent=$650 per month.…
Read More »Hygienic Art Needs Your Support!
Hygienic Art Needs Your Support! Dear Friends of Hygienic Art, Thank you for supporting our organization! Your gifts of support directly impacted our ability to continue to offer exceptional cultural experiences, and open a world of…
Read More »Hygienic Art Park News And Updates - November and December 2023
November and December 2023 NEWS & UPDATES Annual Appeal Art=Gift Show Inner Reflections An Evening with Rev. Terrlyn Curry Avery PhD Open Mic Night An Evening with Miosotys Santiago December Crafts and Cocktails Free Community Yoga with…
Read More »Hygienic November and December Happenings 2023
November and December 2023 News & Updates Annual Appeal Art=Gift Show Inner Reflections An Evening with Rev. Terrlyn Curry Avery PhD Open Mic Night An Evening with Miosotys Santiago December Crafts and Cocktails Free Community Yoga with…
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