Four of Connecticut’s major nonprofit performing arts venue operators have formed a coalition to promote the positive economic and cultural impact of each venue, to highlight the vibrant and diverse programming offered throughout the year, and to share resources.
The new Community Arts Venues group is comprised of Wall Street Theater in Norwalk, the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center (the Kate) in Old Saybrook, Fairfield Theatre Company (FTC) in Fairfield, and New Haven Center for Performing Arts, Inc., which operates College Street Music Hall and the Westville Music Bowl, both in New Haven.
“The Kate is delighted to collaborate with these organizations as we bring attention to the positive impact within our communities,” said Brett Elliott, Executive Director of the Kate. “Even more, we are looking toward the future and how that impact may become greater, more vibrant, and play a larger part in advocating for the amazing cultural landscape of Connecticut.”
These venues offer arts and entertainment events that feature national touring artists and local performers and represent most genres of music, dance, comedy, film, theater, and family programs. They range in size from an intimate 225 seats up to a 9,700-seat capacity and serve more than 200,000 patrons from throughout Connecticut and surrounding states.
Combined, these venues employ 160 full and part-time staff members and, in the past year, presented more than 750 events.
For FTC and the Kate, the quantity of programs filled nearly the entire calendar with 205 and 331, respectively during the 2022-2023 fiscal year. The Kate, College Street Music Hall, and Wall Street Theater operate in historic theaters that were thoughtfully restored for modern uses.
John Reid, Producing Artistic Director of Fairfield Theatre Company, said, “FTC is very pleased to work closely with these fine organizations, who are the cultural lifeblood of our cities and towns.
To ensure that we can all continue to offer the very best in live music and the arts, they are working together to secure sustainable funding.
COVID-19 brought some very challenging times, economically and otherwise, and the pandemic reinforced the enormous impact that live music and the arts have on the overall well-being of our community.” This level of activity has contributed greatly to the economic vitality of each of the home communities and regions surrounding the venues.
The most recently published Arts & Economic Prosperity Report by Americans for the Arts showed that in 2017, the average patron spent $33 in the local economy when attending an arts event, in addition to the ticket price. Most coalition members are potentially contributing between $1.5M and $6M to their communities. An economic impact study for College Street Music Hall estimated the venue generated over $16,000,000 in economic impact annually.
“Our theaters play an important role in the social fabric of our communities, adding to the cultural and economic prosperity of the state,” said Suzanne Cahill, Executive Director of the Wall Street Theater, who added, “Building a stronger network of resources is possible when we work together.”
Additionally, members of the Community Arts Venue group utilize local vendors and provide touring artists with accommodations and meals, spending upwards of $350,000 each year for these services.
These venues were some of the first to reopen with special safety protocols during the COVID-19 pandemic, finding ways to retain staff and provide arts and culture programs. The flexible nature of their operating models allowed for socially-distanced seating for film, live music and comedy and some presented events outdoors.