New & Noteworthy
Hartford Foundation Submits Testimony in Support of Study on Arts, Culture and Tourism
On Thursday, February 27 the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving submitted testimony to the legislature’s Commerce Committee in support of House Bill 6881, An Act Concerning Arts, Culture And Tourism.
The arts are a critical asset in our region and can serve as a unique resource in supporting community and resident well-being, including physical and emotional well-being, learning, economic growth and community cohesion and resilience. For example, organizations like the Justice Dance Performance Project supported by the foundation, shares in its community performances the challenges experienced by people retuning from incarceration and the impact the separation has on their children and families. Their performers offer their lived experience. The arts can be a powerful tool in educating the public on social justice issues.
The arts also provided an invaluable source of hope and healing during the pandemic. Yet, during the crisis, Connecticut’s arts organizations saw significant declines in support as many funders and the state had to prioritize Basic Human Needs and the nonprofits that provide them. As we have moved from crisis to recovery and ongoing resilience, we must consider making long-term investment in the arts and cultural programs.
The foundation’s Arts and Culture grantmaking and other activities are informed by the Greater Hartford Arts Landscape Study, commissioned by the Hartford Foundation and the Connecticut Office of the Arts. The study found a vibrant sector challenged by financial fragility and a need to address issues of equity, diversity and inclusion related to access, program content, workforce, and leadership. Our research and evaluation of the Greater Hartford arts sector documented that people of color are underrepresented in Greater Hartford’s art workforce, particularly Latine artists and organizations.
In May 2020, the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving announced the formation of an advisory group to lift up and influence resource allocation for artists of color in the region. The foundation’s
Artists of Color Unite! (AOCU) advisory group closed out 2020 by recommending three grants totaling $400,000 to support arts projects, capacity building and COVID-19 relief. In 2021, this same advisory group recommended a $200,000 grant to support the Artists of Color Accelerate Fellowship. This program provides an opportunity for creative artists in Greater Hartford to develop and refine their business acumen in an industry that generates billions of revenue in Connecticut each year.
Artist fellows work at host sites where they hone their skills working with arts organizations, using their talents to have an impact on the community and patrons of the arts. Among the fellows are educators, dancers, painters, musicians, filmmakers, photographers, content creators, actors, and multimedia artists. In 2024, the Hartford Foundation awarded $241,000 to support the third cohort of the fellowship.
The foundation supports House Bill 6881 which would bill require the Commissioner of Economic and Community Development to conduct a comprehensive study on arts, culture, and tourism within the state. We urge legislators to ensure this effort build on other arts sector studies that have been conducted. We also recommend directing the DECD to include smaller arts and cultural organizations, particularly those led by people of color, in this study, as well as independent artists.
We also encourage the study review both quantitative, as well as qualitative data by engaging arts organizations and individual artists. While these organizations and individuals play vital roles in the communities they serve, they continue to lack consistent and long-term support they need. We encourage the Department of Economic and Community Development to ensure that any future plans also include marketing and promotional support for under-resourced artists of color.
The Hartford Foundation is eager to partner with legislators, advocates, and the business sector to support arts and culture in our state and create a stronger infrastructure to ensure the arts sector’s stability and resilience and increase the racial/ethnic diversity of Connecticut’s arts workforce.