Greater Hartford Arts Council Annual Report 2021

A year of change, growth, and opportunity.

“For more than 50 years, the Greater Hartford Arts Council has been an important community partner to residents, arts leaders, artists, and corporate and foundation leaders in our mutual efforts to promote a vibrant future in our region.” - Outgoing Board President Paul Guzzardi Over these past five decades, The Arts Council has invested over $80 million in the creative sector, funding countless artists and organizations to continue entertaining, educating, and inspiring our community. To celebrate this milestone, we embarked on a new strategic plan involving a community feedback survey and conversations with arts leaders and donors like you. This process came on the heels of developing and implementing multiple grant programs aimed at recuperating the creative economy. We felt that we were well-positioned to not only shift our mission and vision to reflect the community’s needs, but to also transform our promise into organizational values that will guide both our daily and strategic long-term work:

MISSION

We exist to be a catalyst for the arts and promote an equitable arts ecosystem in Greater Hartford.

VISION

The Greater Hartford region will be a thriving multi-cultural destination anchored by a diverse and innovative arts sector.

VALUES

Our organization will be guided by our strongly held values of community, equity, leadership, creativity, accessibility and advocacy.

$877,401

Awarded $877,401 in grant funding

108

Awarded 108 grants to artists and organizations

35

Distributed PPE to 35 artists and organizations

2022 Board of Directors President: Brian Refici, MarshBerry Secretary: Janet Link, Stanley Black & Decker Treasurer: Stephen Jackson, CohnReznick Immediate Past Chair: Karen Eisenbach, Voya Robert Braswell, Travelers Mary Kay Curtiss, CLA Christopher J. Delello, UConn Eric S. Goldstein, Shipman & Goodwin Richard Hill, KPMG Jason T. Gutcheon, Professional Business Insurers Chris McGoldrick, United Healthcare Haneef Nelson, Community Leader Michael Pignatella, Prudential Retirement Donald R. Seifel, Jr., Updike, Kelly & Spellacy Melanie Tucker, Hartford Hospital Janée P. Woods Weber, William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund T’Challa N. Williams, Hartford’s L.I.T.

Community Investment PROGRAM

AMOUNT

Arts & Wellness $10,000 Back in Business $50,000 Artist & Maker Relief Grants $9,000 Summer Events Grants $75,451 Travelers Arts Impact $405,000 Spring Hartford Events Grants $35,950 Musician Relief Grants $42,000 Charter Grants $250,000

A breath of fresh air

Celebrating Summer in Hartford Summer in the City, a celebration of art, music and culture in the Capital City, is needed now more than ever! ​In 2021, after a year of virtual events, we saw the return of in-person summer events and it was the celebration we all needed. Thousands gathered safely to see those they missed, to participate in something familiar and comforting and to share a sense of relief after more than a year of isolation. Overall, an estimated 360,000 people attended the festival. In addition to the 8 jobs created for entrepreneurs through photography and community engagement work, event partner Raytheon Technologies created incredible economic impact for food, retail and rental vendors as well as driving business to local restaurants. As important community organizations reaching a variety of cultural groups, core event organizers used their platforms to support public health initiatives and share important information with their communities, including vaccine information.​ Event organizers created additional community health and wellness events, including food drives and vaccine clinics.

Connection and creativity Neighborhood Studios 2021

Neighborhood Studios, our arts apprenticeship program for area teens, provides in-depth instruction in a specific artistic medium and career-skills training that readies youth for today’s creative workforce. Through the continued impact of the pandemic, studios shifted to a mixture of hybrid, in-person, and virtual programming. The theme was “Connected,” charging students to think about how they recognized connection and disconnection in this new, fragmented era. If anything proves the strength, resiliency, and talent of our creative future, it’s the Neighborhood Studios apprentices. Not only did they grow as artists, but also in areas of self-confidence, independence, teamwork, and communication skills. While safety concerns led to limiting career-skills training, apprentices benefitted from participating in a financial literacy workshop in partnership with Voya. “I think it gave my child a sense of excitement, they seemed very happy to be learning new things in an environment they’ve never been in and it has given them a new way of being creative and productive.” NS Parent “Several apprentices made mention of the fact that this year has been such a very difficult one for their mental health and that this program was important in counteracting that. One mentioned that not only was it their best show experience ever, and certainly one of their best summers, but also that being a part of the program had helped so much with their state of mind.” - Master Teaching Artist

Campaign Supporters $100,000+

$75,000+

$50,000+

CT Office of the Arts Stanley Black & Decker

Connecticut Humanities Hartford Steam Boiler

$30,000+ The Hartford

$10,000+ Ensworth Charitable Foundation, Bank of America, N.A., Trust • KPMG LLP • Lincoln Financial Group • Prudential • Robinson+Cole • UnitedHealthcare

$5,000+ Charles Nelson Robinson Fund • Deloitte • George A. and Grace L. Long Foundation

$500+

Alexander and Catherine Maus Wright Charitable Trust • Berkshire Bank • Cheryl Chase and Stuart Bear Family Foundation • Deloitte • Evelyn W. Preston Trust • Farmington Bank Community Foundation • Harry E. Goldfarb Family Foundation, Inc. • Make Music Alliance

Director’s Circle ($10,000+) Karen Eisenbach • Janet Link • Claire Pryor • Kevin and Marcia Smith • Keith and Catherine Stevenson

Founder’s Circle ($5,000+)

Richard and Lisa Caporaso • Paul Eddy and Elizabeth Normen • Emma Ladd • Michael Pignatella • Don Seifel • Carol E. Terry

Chairman’s Circle ($2,500+)

Leonard and BJ Diamond • William Fish and Marcia Vannuccini • William Gorton • Stephen and Susan Jackson • Michael and Cindy Klein • Sean and Paula O’Brien • George P. Waldeck

Luminary Circle ($500+) Andrew Andrews • Jonathan Avery • Daniel Barnes • Chester Paul Beach • Michelle A. Belanger • Andy and Cheryl Bessette • James and Joan Betts • Daniel Bishop • Autumn Bosworth • Richard Brody • Paul Brown • Urana M. Brown • Harold and Joyce Buckingham • Edward and Mary Budd • John F. Byrnes • Matthew Candiloro • Paul Canning • Micahel and Shari Cantor • Mark and Linda Caplan • Rick Carterud • Stephan and Francine Christiansen • Tiffany Christner • Britt-Marie Cole-Johnson • Katherine and Kevin Conway • Alexia Cruz • Cheryl L. Cundall • Smitesh Dave • Elizabeth Doering • Thomas Daugherty • Michael Enright • Marlene Ferreira • Helen and Henry Frye • Cynthia and Thomas Garten • Betsy Gauthier • Christopher Gentile • Justin and Alison George • Ira Goldman • Steve and Kathy Goldman • Pam Goodling • Lisa M. Grealish • Jason T. Gutcheon • Paul E. Guzzardi • Carrie L. Hammond • Ellen M. Hancock • Richard Hill • Dana M. Himes • John Hurlbutt • Anne Iezzi • Susan and Stephen Jackson • Charles Kavanagh • Patricia Kelley • Khaiim Kelly • Michael V. Kennedy • Carol Kuta • Danielle Ladd-Gentile • Margaret Lawson • Susan Lentine • James Lescoe • Kristan Loree • Richard Maguire • Sherry Manetta and Brian Harvey • Thomas Marrion • Ryan T. McBride • Christopher McGoldrick • Katherine and Evan McOmber • Patricia G. Meier • Peter S. Moon • Megan Morgan • Marjorie E. Morrissey • Margaret Morton • Frederick Mullen • Todd Munson • Roberta A. O’Brien Stimpson • Karen Olsen • Patricia Pac • Luanne Paley • Eric Palmer • Elliot B. Pollack • Esther A. Pryor • Brian Refici • Ellen Robinson and James Condren • Dante Roccasecca • Douglas and Sara Russell • Jacqueline Scheib • Alison Scherer • Steven and Susan Sigal • Laurie Ann Scotti • Ryan Shea • Patricia and Edwin Shirley • Amit Sinha • Mary G. Sloan • Joseph Spada • Michael P. Steinberg • Paul Sweeney • Theodore Tucci • Melanie Tucker • Amelia Vaillancourt • Gary and Alexandria Voccio • Richard Voigt and Annemarie Rimer • David Walsh • Edward Whittemore • Raza Zaidi • Jonathan P. Zolty

Thank you for supporting the arts!

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