Senator Terry Gerratana (D-New Britain) announced today that grants will be awarded to four local arts organizations in New Britain and Farmington. Grants will be awarded to the Connecticut Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra in New Britain, the New Britain Museum of American Art, the New Britain Youth Theater, and the Hill-Stead Museum in Farmington.
“Our local arts organizations are vital to the health and growth of our communities. The arts contribute to quality of life, and attract visitors to our town who contribute to the local economy,” said Senator Gerratana. “We established the Connecticut Arts Endowment Fund to encourage stability and the continued operation of our most important arts organizations by encouraging private donors. I am glad to see that it has been successful and this money is making its way to our community.”
The Connecticut Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra in New Britain will receive a $559 grant. The New Britain Museum of American will receive a $5,708 grant and the New Britain Youth Theater will receive a $500 grant. The Hill-Stead Museum in Farmington will receive a $6,170 grant.
The grants are made available through the Connecticut Arts Endowment Fund (CAEF) at the state Department of Economic and Community Development’s (DECD) Office of the Arts. The CAEF was established to help stimulate the development of private sector funding for arts organizations and bring stability to them. Organizations are eligible for grants if they have raised more than $15,000 in private donations for two consecutive fiscal years. This allows arts organizations to raise money by telling investors that their contributions will result in state grants.
Funding does not come from the Connecticut General Fund. Grants are the product of interest earned on a stand-alone investment fund managed by the State Treasurer’s Office.