Posts from the ‘Community’ Category

May 16

Feel Your ART Beat—Aetna Arts Week: May 19-25

It’s time to get your ART beating again throughout Greater Hartford! Aetna Arts Week, a week-long celebration of the arts in and around downtown Hartford, kicks off on Sunday. Sponsored by Aetna, Aetna Arts Week provides an incredible opportunity to take pART in our cultural community—all thanks to your generous donations to our United Arts Campaign.

Occurring every year in both the spring and fall, Aetna Arts Week invites the entire community to experience some arts and heritage organizations that receive essential United Arts funding through low-cost and free events in the Capital City. This programming for our community would be impossible without the support of Aetna, a long-time supporter of the Arts Council, and, of course, our amazing and generous donors.

CELEBRATE OUR CULTURE

Yarn Ball Red_Black Kneedles

Have a free lunch next week, or could you really just use an arts break? Aetna Arts Week hosts a wide range of activities in a variety of genres to appeal to the arts lover in everyone. From gallery and cast talks to happy hours and open tech rehearsals, check out the events we’re hosting at places like The Bushnell, Hartford Stage, the Wadsworth Atheneum, Butler-McCook House & Garden and our own 100 Pearl Street Gallery at FeelYourArtBeat.com.

EXPLORE KNIT-HIT HARTFORD

Click on the map for a larger image.

This Aetna Arts Week has also gone yarn crazy through our temporary public art project, Knit-Hit Hartford. Working with local knitting groups and independent fiber artists, we’re installing homemade, site-specific “yarn installations” around downtown Hartford, blanketing trees, benches, light posts and street signs with multicolored knit coverings—a type of popular urban graffiti called “guerilla knitting.” So when you’re just strolling through downtown Hartford around City Hall, the Wadsworth and Bushnell Park, keep your eyes peeled for locations enlivened with these cool custom yarn creations!

If you have your smart phone handy during your Knit-Hit Hartford explorations, snap your photo with an installation for our Instagram Photo Contest. Simply Tag #KnitHitHartford and you’ll be entered to win prizes to some local arts and heritage events. We’ve also hidden three locations from all of our maps and the first people to find them will also win big, too.

So what are you waiting for? To see our full events calendar and to find out more about Knit-Hit Hartford, head to FeelYourArtBeat.com. Make sure to stay up to date with pictures, videos and testimonials on our Facebook page, too. Go ahead and

Get your ART beating now!

Mar 15

Put Nonprofit Dollars to Work

I thought we’d take a break today from talking about the arts—or our United Arts Campaign—to talk a bit about nonprofits in general. I encourage anyone who’s ever worked for a nonprofit, volunteered for a nonprofit, or donated to a nonprofit to watch the TED talks video below featuring Dan Pallotta:

He discusses some interesting ideas and raises a few interesting points. Where should nonprofits be investing their donor dollars? Those who contribute to a nonprofit organization or a charity, myself included, expect the lion’s share to go directly to services; at the Arts Council, that would be our grant programs, which provide financial support to more than 150 local arts, heritage and cultural organizations.

But what if more money was invested in revenue-generating activities instead of services and grants? More money to build capacity in fundraising activities, or even in earned income (ticket sales, memberships, subscriptions, etc.) that have the potential to multiply that donation hundreds of times over. It’s the classic battle between a short-term, immediate need and finding a long-term solution; yes, your donation can help feed the hungry, clothe the homeless, give a child an arts education experience right now, but shouldn’t some of your generosity go towards ensuring that there continue to be and services for hundreds of thousands of hungry people, homeless people, children, for years to come?

I was having this same conversation with a nonprofit executive director the other day and she gave a great analogy: picture a problem—let’s say, for example, people drowning in a river. You’ve got two options. You can either hire as many ‘hands’ as possible to pull people out of the river downstream. Or, you can invest in a couple of smart people to scout ahead and find out why people are falling in the river in the first place. Which is best?

I agree with Dan Pallotta that “overhead” is an ugly term, and doesn’t give our donors an adequate definition of how their money is being invested. The truth is, fundraising costs money–and any nonprofit that claims they don’t spend money on fundraising is just lying. But, I think there needs to be some standard, some measure, of how to judge the effectiveness of fundraising and earned income strategies. In a corporate environment, marketing and advertising dollars come matched with analytics and formulas to judge their effectiveness; how are we, as nonprofit professionals, judging the effectiveness of our fundraising initiatives? What Dan doesn’t mention is that donors—our “shareholders”—need to have some way to make sure the organization is investing in the right revenue-generating strategies, and not spending donor dollars in wasted efforts.

This video reminds me that as a nonprofit professional I need to do a better job of educating our donors and investors in how we’re using their contributed funds. There is a real case to be made in investing in fundraising, and the Arts Council has always been honest with our donors that a portion of their contribution goes toward identifying new supporters for the arts. If nonprofits can help “shareholders” learn all the ways their donation is useful—direct services, programs, re-granting, and infrastructure investment—maybe our organizations can start making an impact on both short-term and long-term problems.

Mar 7

DYOP: Drip Your Own Paint

Since UTC agreed to chair our 2013 campaign, it only made sense to ask them to jump-start our workplace giving program and kick-off a company wide initiative starting March 1st. UTC took that idea and really ran with it.

View of Hartford from the Gold Building cafeteria.

For the entire month of March, UTC will host workplace giving campaigns in each of their business units: Otis, Pratt & Whitney, Sikorsky, United Technologies Aerospace System, United Technologies Research Center, UTC Climate, Controls & Security and corporate headquarters in the Gold Building. Coordinators from each of the business units, working with Sandy Broadus (Assistant General Counsel, Litigation) under the leadership of co-chairs Matthew Bromberg (VP of Coporate Strategy & Development) and Charles Gill (General Counsel), are planning dozens of interactive and hands-on arts events to get employees engaged with our tremendous arts community. What an undertaking!

My colleague Laura McLelland, the Arts Council’s director of workplace partnerships, is coordinating each company’s giving campaign and helping Sandy and her team come up with fun, creative ideas to motivate employee support. Together, they agreed that the campaign should kick-off on March 1st at corporate HQ with a fun, easy way for people to create a one-of-a-kind piece of community art; Laura had the perfect solution: a Jackson Pollock-style drip and splat painting activity.

Oh the Drip & Splat (I’m trying to change the name to DYOP, hence the title of this article). It’s been a longtime staple of our workplace giving program—probably because it’s so popular. And fun. And easy.

The idea is simple. We provide blank canvases and colorful, washable tempera paint. Employees can stop by and drip, splat and literally throw the paint at the canvas, leaving their mark on the finished piece. As time goes by, and as employees line up to participate, the artwork becomes layered with different colors and paints until the canvas disappears and the company is left with an amazing piece of abstract art created by its employees. The office proudly hangs the art for all to see, and I love hearing people point to a specific drip or certain splat and say, “I made that. That’s my mark.”

Laura leads the Drip & Splat activity.

Last Friday, I went over to the Gold Building with Laura and Meaghan Wooldridge, our Workplace Giving Associate, to run a Drip & Splat (DYOP) with the folks at corporate HQ. The activity was a resounding success—after the first few employees, including the cafeteria staff, left their marks, employees were lining up to try their hand at abstract art and claim their very own ‘I take pART’ sticker. Sandy proved to be amazingly adept at recruiting volunteers, and by the end of the activity more than 100 UTC employees had taken pART.

Yesterday, Arts Council staff were down at Pratt & Whitney’s location in Middletown running a similar DYOP activity; as I write this article, Laura and Meaghan are journeying down to the southern part of the state to Sikorsky to create two more pieces of DYOP art. And this is just the beginning! Stay tuned for more updates and other UTC workplace events as March unfolds.

Check out our Facebook album of photos from the Corporate HQ DYOP

Interested in running a DYOP activity at your workplace? Talk to Laura.

Mar 4

UTC to Lead 2013 United Arts Campaign

Some exciting news from the Arts Council today! We are proud to announce that United Technologies Corporation will chair our 2013 United Arts Campaign, playing a lead role in ensuring the success of our community-wide fundraising drive to support the arts.

UTC’s iconic “Gold Building” headquarters in downtown Hartford.

“The arts programs and activities supported by the annual United Arts Campaign contribute significantly to the quality of life in our community, helping make this region a great place to live and work,” said United Technologies Corp. Chairman & Chief Executive Officer Louis R. Chênevert. “We are proud to serve as chair of this year’s campaign to ensure the Greater Hartford Arts Council has the resources it needs to support the arts throughout the region.”

UTC has long been a supporter of the Arts Council–it was one of the first companies to run a workplace giving campaign in 1995–and the company has an exemplary history of employee engagement and investment in the local cultural community. Working with Arts Council leadership, Chênevert has assembled a Campaign Cabinet of community and corporate leaders to ensure the success of the 2013 campaign. Joining as campaign leaders from UTC are Charles D. Gill, Senior Vice President and General Counsel, and Matthew Bromberg, Vice President of Corporate Strategy and Development.

For the entire month of March, UTC is hosting a company-wide workplace giving campaign in each business unit: Otis, Pratt & Whitney, Sikorsky, UTC Aerospace Systems, UTC Climate, Controls & Security, UTC Corporate Headquarters and the UTC Research Center. Last Friday, we officially kicked-off the workplace campaign with a hands-on, Jackson Pollock-inspired “Drip & Splat” paint activity at HQ. We’ll be posting photos, videos and stories from the UTC giving campaign throughout the month of March as employees take pART in our amazing arts, heritage and cultural community.

“We are so grateful to the entire United Technologies team for agreeing to chair our campaign, and we are excited to celebrate our long partnership with UTC, one of Greater Hartford’s finest examples of strong corporate citizenship,” says Cathy Malloy, Chief Executive Officer of the Arts Council. “With UTC leading the charge, we look forward to a tremendous fundraising campaign this year.”

Thank you to UTC for leading our 2013 United Arts Campaign!

Mar 4

Take pART: United Arts 2013

Each year the Greater Hartford Arts Council runs a “United Arts” campaign—donors can make one gift that supports our entire arts, heritage and cultural community. United Arts dollars fund our range of grant programs and support more than 150 local organizations and artists every year.

United Arts invites the community to take pART in everything the arts have to offer, from visiting one of our world-class organizations to see an exhibit, catch a play or concert, watch a performance or interact with local artists who call Greater Hartford home. The Arts Council runs workplace giving campaigns in 70 companies throughout our 34-town service area, encouraging employees to support the arts and flex their creative muscles through hands-on arts activities and events.

Guests at the Society Room for the 2013 Big Red for the Arts

The campaign officially kicked-off on February 6 with Big Red for the Arts, our annual food & wine fundraising event. Featuring dishes from some of the best restaurants in Greater Hartford and wines and spirits from around the world, this year’s Big Red raised a record-breaking $65,000 to support the arts. Special thanks to presenting sponsor Rockville Bank for helping us kick-off our campaign in style!

Please consider a Donation to the
United Arts Campaign

What’s New in 2013:

Calder’s Stegosaurus sculpture (see above) is the face of our campaign this year, both on our take pART brochure and featured as the 2013 thank-you gift to our $500 and up donors, designed by the amazing artists at local paper goods shop Hartford Prints!
you’ll be hearing a lot of String Theorie—the featured musicians of our 2013 campaign—and donors who give $100 or more will receive a digital download featuring an exclusive live track.
Stay tuned for more information about how you can take pART, both at your workplace and in the community!
The spring Aetna Arts Week is right around the corner, chock-full of free and low-cost activities and events sponsored by Aetna and supported by your generous contributions to United Arts
Learn why the Arts Mean Business: supporting 7,000 local jobs and generating an annual economic impact of more than $230 million
We’ll be posting stories, videos and photos as CEO Cathy Malloy and Arts Council staff travel around the community meeting with arts enthusiasts and visiting our grantee organizations to raise awareness about our amazing arts and cultural community

We look forward to an another amazing year of keeping the arts alive!

Jan 14

Letterpress 101

This week wraps up our 2013 Pick Your Print contest, and by next Wednesday we’ll have a winning concept ready to be turned into a piece of letterpress art. Letterpress has seen a resurgence in popularity over the last couple of years–from business cards to greeting cards and everything in between–but a few of us are still fuzzy on the details. What exactly is letterpress?

For the answer we went to the experts: the Gale sisters. Read their “Letterpress 101″ below:

WHAT IS LETTERPRESS? By Hartford Prints
Letterpress is a type of relief printing. Traditionally, it employs moveable type which is then inked and applied to paper with enough pressure to create an impression in the paper. A very simplistic version of this would be the rubber stamp.Western letterpress was invented by Johannes Gutenberg in the mid-1400′s. At one time, it was the method by which virtually all newspapers, books and other publications were printed. With advances in technology, letterpress has moved out of the commercial world and into the educational and fine craft worlds. Today, many colleges with a printmaking program offer letterpress courses and many of their graduates go on to open small business which offer fine printing on a small scale.

Artwork at the Hartford Prints! studio.

At Hartford Prints! we have a Vandercook 4-T proof press. This model was invented in 1948 specifically to print on acetate to create negatives for offset lithography printing. Our press likely dates from the 1960′s. We create our printed matter in one of three ways: traditional hand-set lead or wood type, hand-carved wood or linoleum blocks, or photopolymer plates created from digital files which we design on our computers.

For the Arts Council, the plan is to create a woodcut print based on whichever of the three design concepts wins the most votes. Once the design is selected, Addy will refine and finalize the drawing and begin planning for the carving stage. In relief printing, however many colors are in the design is how many blocks will be needed. So for a two-color print, Addy will have to carve two separate blocks. The blocks are carved in reverse, or backwards. Whatever is to be printed is left alone and all the negative space, or white of the paper, is carved away. When the blocks are done, they are placed on the bed of the press. The press has rollers to which the ink is applied and the rollers then distribute the ink onto the block. As the press is operated, the paper is carried across the block and pressure is applied to push the paper into the block just enough to take an impression and pick up the ink. This process is repeated until the desired number of prints is achieved and then repeated again for each following color.

Letterpress is a lovely and tactile medium. Soft, thick, 100% cotton papers are often used and the impression creates a wonderful texture that is a delight to touch. Hartford Prints! is so excited to have the opportunity to produce a unique letterpress print for the Arts Council and we are sure that everyone who receives a copy of the print will be thrilled with the final result.

There’s still a few days left to vote! Visit LetsGoArts.org/PickYourPrint to choose our winning design!

Jan 11

“Supposing is Good, But Finding Out is Better”

ARE YOU #TEAMTWAIN?

There’s only one week left to decide the design of our 2013 United Arts Print for our Pick Your Print campaign, but there’s still plenty of time to make sure your favorite print design gets chosen! This time around, see what the Gale sisters from Hartford Prints! think about one of America’s favorite authors as they turn the spotlight on (or close read for you literary types) the statue of Mark Twain in front of the Hartford Public Library.

Addy – Older Sister
Mark Twain is another Hartford favorite of mine and, like Calder’s Stegosaurus, I have very specific associations with him from when I was a little girl. I always thought that the brick work above the windows on The Mark Twain House made the house look as though it has eyelashes! The man himself is an equally impressive figure, with those eyebrows and that mustache. I love the sculpture of him placed in front of the main branch of the Hartford Public Library, particularly when seen in profile. What really makes the sculpture special and interesting is its location. Mark Twain stands under a spectacular sycamore tree and next to another sculpture which is very, very modern. Together, these three elements create interesting juxtapositions between the natural and the man-made, the representative and the abstract, and the classic and the modern. It would be fascinating to try translating all of this into a woodcut print.

Callie – Middle Sister
Mark Twain’s presence looms over Hartford. We are so lucky that such a prolific author, Samuel Clemens, was writing his most infamous works while living in our city. According to the Mark Twain House, “Clemens…spent his life observing and reporting on his surroundings,” and so he must have taken some inspiration from Hartford, its environment, as well as its people. Encountering Mark Twain outside of the Hartford Public Library on Main Street is fitting, since not only are most of his works found inside, but it also speaks to Twain’s sense of purposeful storytelling. Every one of his books has an underlying theme and moral driven by a deep sense of right and wrong, for as he once said, “Supposing is good, but finding out is better.” This print, to me, illustrates that beautiful harmony between writing, reading, and storytelling, in order to lift up the human spirit and better the world around us.

Rory – Younger Sister
I love the architecture of the Hartford Public Library and think that it’s fitting to have Mark Twain, standing tall, overseeing the books. Mark Twain fits perfectly on Main Street, leaning against his riverboat wheel. I love how his books transport you on outlandish adventures. Like a Twain novel, our adventure began by starting Hartford Prints! and with every turn of the riverboat wheel we encounter new opportunities and obstacles with the bravery of Huckleberry Finn and the gumption of Tom Sawyer. I think that like his books, our art has the ability to transport the viewer, and this print would do just that. We’ll take inspiration from the statue, history and stories of Mark Twain. Let’s jump off the page and take an adventure together.

Think one of America’s favorite authors should grace the pages of our prints? VOTE NOW to help one of America’s favorite authors grace the many pages of our prints this year! Next up: The Art in Hartford Map, which highlights important public art pieces from around the city!

Jan 9

Who Says a Dinosaur Can’t Live in a City?

ARE YOU #TEAMSTEGO?

Our Pick Your Print poll to decide the design for this year’s United Arts print is really heating up! To add some fire to the already difficult decision, the Gale Sisters at Hartford Prints! are going to share their opinions on each of the three designs they crafted. For their first selection, they turn the spotlight on Alexander Calder’s Stegosaurus, one of Hartford’s most defining public art pieces tucked between the Wadsworth and City Hall on Burr Mall.

Addy – Older Sister

Alexander Calder is probably my all-time favorite artist. Ever since I was a little girl, I have been enamored with his mobiles and charmed by Hartford’s own Stegosaurus. It is my single favorite piece of art in our city and I am thrilled to have the opportunity to possibly create a print based on this magnificent sculpture. The view from Main Street makes Stegosaurus seem as though he is standing in his own private forest, perhaps drinking from a stream or just lazying about in the sun. And if one stands at just the right angle, one can see the dome of the Colt Building peeking out from between his legs. These two elements, the grove of trees and the Colt dome, would definitely be included in my woodcut – implying that though Stegosaurus seems to be in the woods, he actually lives in the city. If it helps with the voting – this is my favorite of the three ideas and the one I would most enjoy creating!

Callie – Middle Sister

I love this print for several reasons! First, Calder’s Stegosaurus is probably one of the most defining pieces of public art for Hartford, as well as for my childhood. I have fond memories of playing in, under, and around this bright, beautiful, bolted dinosaur and love the way the geometric patterns and heavy materials create something that is industrial, yet totally alive. Second, I love how Addy is incorporating the trees into the print. Hartford has some of the most beautiful green open spaces, from Bushnell Park to Keney Park to our riverfront, which I think are more often overlooked than explored. This print reminds us that we should be urban adventurers in the living parts of our city, since they (like the dinosaurs) were here first! Finally, I think that the aesthetic of this print really reflects what Hartford Prints! is all about. We are working in an old (some might even say “extinct”) medium, striving to illustrate what Hartford, its vibrant cultural scene, and its inspiring people, are all about.

Rory – Younger Sister

There is something so magical about Calder’s Stegosaurus. I remember as a kid playing at the feet of this sculpture and feeling big and small at the same time. Hartford Prints! created a print using the Stegosaurus in 2010 with our student Danny Tobias. This print included the text, “Who says a dinosaur can’t live in a city?” This simple, yet provocative statement challenges the way you look at our city. That’s what we strive to do at Hartford Prints!; unveil Hartford’s beauty and limitless offerings. As an expression of public art, I believe this print will continue to connect idiosyncrasies that we sometimes find living in a city, both big and small.

Have a soft spot for dinosaurs in your heart? VOTE NOW to make sure this jurassic beauty dominates the competition! Next up: Mark Twain in front of the Hartford Public Library!

Jan 7

The Story of Hartford Prints!

If you haven’t heard of Hartford Prints! before, well, you should. On its face, it’s a small paper goods shop and studio on Arbor Street in Hartford run by the quirky Gale sisters—Hartford natives—that specializes in distinctive letterpress artwork and custom paper products for a variety of special occasions. The story of Hartford Prints!, though, illustrates how the Arts Council’s grant programs really can enact powerful cultural and economic change in our community.

GRANT DOLLARS AT WORK

Back in 2009, Addy Gale, the oldest sister of three, embarked on a mission—to find a way to express her passion for printmaking. In this spirit, Addy applied for funding through the Hartford Arts & Heritage Jobs Grant Program, managed by the Arts Council and funded by the City of Hartford. The grant program is designed to create and retain jobs, especially in the cultural sector, within the Capital City. And Addy, who grew up in Hartford’s historic West End, thought it was the perfect opportunity to set up shop and return to her roots.

Grant funding helped support her start-up costs and created the opportunity to offer students from Hartford Public High School part-time jobs learning the craft of letterpress. This apprenticeship program led to the production of art prints, greeting cards and blank books expressing the students’ love of Hartford. Their was then showcased throughout Hartford, including the inaugural exhibit of the Arts Council-managed 100 Pearl Street Gallery, as a way of promoting the local community through the arts.

When grant money was running out in March 2012, Addy joined forces with her two sisters, Callie and Rory, to re-envision Hartford Prints! as a for-profit letterpress studio that’s seen a tremendous amount of success.

From Addy’s original idea to celebrate and safeguard the art of letterpress printmaking emerged a local small business with a mission of arts entrepreneurship and a keen, eclectic vibe with a passion for the Gale sister’s hometown: Hartford. The Gale sisters and their innovative print shop prove the viability of using the arts to generate economic impact and support local jobs. Through arts education and active community engagement, Hartford Prints! is a model of a small business giving back.

Who would have thought—so much good for an entire community from “three sisters and a press.”

PICK YOUR PRINT CONTEST

The Arts Council would be nowhere without the support of those who believe in the power of the arts. Every year, we like to show our appreciation to our generous donors to the United Arts Campaign through thank you gifts, one of which being a Greater Hartford-inspired print for those who contribute $500 or more.

This year, we’re partnering with Hartford Prints! and giving YOU the say in the final piece of art. The Gale sisters prepared three possible concepts for this year’s artwork inspired by some of the most beloved public art pieces in the Capital City. You can vote on your favorite concept in our online poll. The design with the most votes will be commissioned for this year’s thank you gift.

The contest runs from January 7 to January 20 and the winner will be announced on January 23.

If you’d like to learn even more about Hartford Prints!, visit HartfordPrints.com. Also—be on the lookout s for spotlights on each print the next two weeks featuring insights from each sister about the design. Happy picking!

Nov 11

Why We Love Aetna Arts Week

Today kicks off one of our favorite arts events: Aetna Arts Week, a week-long celebration of arts, heritage and culture in and around the capital city. Each year, we present two arts weeks (one in the fall, one in the spring) sponsored by Aetna and made possible by your generous donations to our United Arts Campaign.

But why do we love Aetna Arts Week? Alright, sure. We love anything about the arts. But this program, in particular, serves a number of community needs—and helps strengthen our relationship with one of our most important corporate partners, Aetna.

Let me back it up again. Aetna has been a long-time supporter of the Arts Council (and of many of the organizations we represent). For about 10 years, they sponsored & helped produce Aetna First Thursday, an evening of jam-packed arts programming on the first Thursday of every month. A few years ago, we noticed the popularity of the ‘monthly funnel’ of arts events had started to wane; our organizations were running their own, wildly successful Thursday late-night activities, and we wanted to pilot a new, different program that both served the cultural community AND engaged our partnership with Aetna.

One of the biggest struggles we have here at the Arts Council is showing you—the community—all of the wonderful organizations, events & programs supported by United Arts. I mean, we fund nearly 150 different institutions and events each year! Working with Aetna, we came up with a new idea: instead of “First Thursday,” how about creating a week FULL of events from our grantee organizations. We’ll do it twice a year and use it as an opportunity to drive the public to the places we support, while getting them more engaged in the art itself.

Ta-Da! Aetna Arts Week was born.

To us, this is one of the best examples of an arts-business partnership. It helps the Arts Council provide free & low-cost community arts events, keeping art accessible to everyone. It showcases our United Arts operating support grantees, providing a “sample” or “tasting” of the wonderful programs they offer year-round. And, it allows Aetna the opportunity to continue to support the arts and get its employees more involved and engaged in the Greater Hartford community.

Win-win-win.

See the full line-up of Aetna Arts Week from this Courant article and on this blog.

Special thanks to Aetna (of course!) and to our operating support grantees who are offering an amazing line-up of programming. All of this wouldn’t be possible without the success of our United Arts Campaign, thanks to the generous support of our individual donors, corporate partners, foundations & government agencies.