Local Arts Centers Receive Funding for Employment Opportunities, Community Projects

Hartford, CT (October 3, 2017) — The Greater Hartford Arts Council is proud to award funding to four community arts centers in the greater Hartford region through the Arts Center Catalyst program. The recipients include: Art League of New Britain, Farmington Valley Arts Center, Southington Community Cultural Arts, and Windsor Art Center. These funds, which are being awarded following the completion of a 1 year organizational goal setting and professional development program for art center leaders provided by the Arts Council, will support general operating, employment, and capacity-building projects that achieve organizational goals.

“We recognize the important impact of community arts centers in improving quality of life for residents in our region,” says Cathy Malloy, Chief Executive Officer of the Greater Hartford Arts Council. “These organizations are gathering points for each of their communities where children take dance lessons, seniors enjoy a variety of art classes, and all people come together to express their creativity. Both the professional development and the unrestricted funding our Catalyst program is providing will help these organizations best serve their communities.

Here are the project goals for each of the recipients:

Art League of New Britain

Art League of New Britain will launch a new discussion series with the help of Business Volunteers for the Arts consultant, Stephanie Glasgow of Day Pitney. The series will connect the theme of each visual art exhibition to a salon-style discussion of relevant current events and/or live performance.

Farmington Valley Arts Center

Farmington Valley Arts Center will hire a social media consultant to assist with marketing efforts to help them reach new audiences. They will also expand their gallery programming to include a full array of artistic experiences such as storytelling, hands-on workshops, and demonstrations.

Southington Community Cultural Arts

Southington Community Cultural Arts (SoCCA) will use funding to employ a part-time assistant at the center to support the Executive Director with developing a donor appreciation program, volunteer coordination, and expansion of the All Access Program.

Windsor Art Center

Windsor Art Center will hire consultants to assist with building a database to grow, audience, revenue and members, as well as strengthening their social media presence.