Happy Holidays! We want to take a moment to thank all of our donors, followers, grantees, and partners for an amazing year! In 2016 we celebrated our 45th anniversary (that’s 45 years of building a strong arts community thanks to you!), and developed new and exciting community arts events like Art on the Streets and I Am An Artist Day. We hope you’ll join us again in 2017 to make an even greater impact!
Big Red for the Arts
Everyone loves a big party, and this past year’s Big Red for the Arts was our biggest one yet! Featuring an array of artwork by local artists including Nina Salazar, Hong Hong, as well as art by veterans from the Veterans Art Foundation, alongside cupcakes, wines, and savory specialty dishes from Bears Smokehouse, J. Restaurant, and several other local restaurants. Save the date for Big Red in 2017, which will be held at Infinity Music Hall & Bistro on March 9! Registration coming soon.
Arts Innovation Day
This past spring, we held our first Arts Innovation Day, a free day of professional learning for arts professionals in collaboration with local business leaders. Featuring panels on storytelling, digital marketing, and human resources, the conference is designed to help boost your organizational strategy. Mark your calendar: Arts Innovation Day returns on June 2, 2017 at Manchester Community College.
Read our recaps from Arts Innovation Day.
Art on the Streets
If we had to choose our favorite event of 2016, it would be Art on the Streets. We partnered with Aetna to bring art and interactive experiences to the streets of Downtown Hartford in collaboration with several local artists including Lindsey Fyfe, Katherine Tolve, and Tang Sauce.
Neighborhood Studios
Neighborhood Studios, our summer arts apprenticeship program for teens, entered its 18th year last summer. Two new studio partners, TheaterWorks and Knox, joined Hartford Stage, Amistad Center for Arts & Culture, Artists Collective, Real Art Ways, and The Mark Twain House & Museum to provide hands-on training in film-making, creative writing, photography, music, and stage design. Applications for 2017 open March 1.
I Am An Artist Day
At the Arts Council, we believe everyone has a creative side. That’s why we launched the I Am An Artist campaign to encourage you to discover your inner artist through DIYs, arts classes, and through fun activities at our first I Am An Artist Day event, featuring New Britain Museum of American Art, the Judy Dworin Performance Project, and TheaterWorks.
And here’s our #2016bestnine from Instagram:
Help us make an impact in 2017! Give to our United Arts Campaign to build a stronger arts and cultural community in Greater Hartford.
