Hartford announces new Office of Arts, Culture and Entertainment at City Hall

On Tuesday, the city of Hartford announced plans to open an Office of Arts, Culture and Entertainment at City Hall.

“All are committed to making sure that art continues to remain in Hartford,” said Arts & Culture Transition Committee co-chair Floyd Green.

This office comes as part of the city’s plan to further invest in the arts.

“Arts speaks to our humanity, speaks to our culture, speaks to us in a way that nothing else can,” Hartford Mayor Arunan Arulampalam said at the announcement.

The city says it expects to make an investment of $1 million over the course of five years.

“We’re going to continue to build an art scene in which creatives who come of age in this city, stay in this city,” said Arulampalam.

The funding will come from unallocated ARPA funding, as well as the Capitol Groove Music Festival and revenue generated by the artists benefiting from this office. T

he ARPA funding is expected to provide $400,000, while the music festival is expected to supply $30,000 yearly through city fees as well as an additional amount of money through the proceeds generated from ticket sales.

“We feel like we are just beginning,” said Arts & Culture Transition Committee co-chair Cynthia Rider. “For everyone who lives here and everyone who lives in the region, come to Hartford and experience art.”

The office will be led by a director who hasn’t been hired yet.