International Festival of Arts & Ideas

In 2013, the Festival continued its tradition of presenting sought-after events, like, the US premiere of a new production of A Midsummer Night's Dream, a collaboration between Bristol Old Vic (England) in association with Handspring Puppet Company (South Africa), directed by Tom Morris.

Recent Ideas programs have featured Kennedy Center honouree Bill T. Jones, inaugural poet Elizabeth Alexander, Joshua Foer (author, Moonwalking with Einstein), Richard Levin (former President of Yale University), and Marion Nestle (author, Food Politics: How the Food Industry Influences Nutrition and Health).

The Visionary Leadership Award is presented in honor of Jean Handley, a Festival founder and long-time leader in the business, philanthropic, and arts communities in Connecticut.

[2][3] More than 85% of festival programs are completely free to the public, including events that feature jazz, classical, dance, and theatre artists from around the world.

The founders envisioned an annual celebration in New Haven--a small city rich with diversity and steeped in strong cultural and educational traditions--distinguished from established arts festivals by its fusion of ideas with events.