You asked which Connecticut metropolitan regions have arts councils. You wanted to know (1) what they do, (2) how long they have been in existence, (3) how they are staffed, (4) how they are funded, (5) their annual budgets, and (6) their websites.

SUMMARY

Connecticut currently has five regional arts councils serving the greater Hartford, New Haven, Windham, and shoreline areas. These non-profit organizations provide arts opportunities and education in their regions. They depend primarily on membership drives and ticket sales for their funding and serve children and adults who have an interest in the arts. Some councils focus on supporting local artists, while others aim to teach art skills to area residents. Their annual budgets vary by council and range from $ 110,000 to $ 5 million.

GREATER HARTFORD ARTS COUNCIL

The Greater Hartford Arts Council (GHAC) was established in 1971. Its basic mission is to promote, plan, and raise money for the arts in the greater Hartford region. It raises approximately $ 3 million per year in its United Arts Campaign and recently added cultural, heritage, and outdoor beautification elements to its arts programming. GHAC sponsors or contributes to events at such venues as the Bushnell Theatre, Wadsworth Athenaeum, and Hartford Stage, as well as parades, festivals, musical performances, and other exhibits and events. It provides general operating support to 25 local arts organizations to pay for their electricity, staffing, and other overhead costs. It funds 100 of the 180 arts and culture organizations in the greater Hartford area. During the summer, GHAC offers its Neighborhood Studio Program, which teaches students employment skills in addition to the arts.

GHAC, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, receives funding from (1) private individuals, (2) corporations, (3) foundations, (4) a portion of Hartford's hotel tax, and (5) the city of Hartford. Its annual budget, including the Hartford Proud & Beautiful outdoor improvement program, is approximately $ 5 million. Four of its 18 staff members are assigned to litter removal, with others handling duties such as planning events, marketing, and applying for grants. GHAC's website is www. connectthedots. org.

ARTS IN MOTION

Arts in Motion (AIM), formerly the Greater Mansfield Council for the Arts, was originally founded in 1971 as the Mansfield Creative Dance Council. Its goal is to promote participation in, and appreciation of, dance, movement, and theatre in northeastern Connecticut. Recently relocated from Storrs to Willimantic, AIM offers dance, yoga, and other movement classes for children and adults. It also sponsors (1) the Kids' Company Summer Theatre Workshop for children ages 10 to 16 and (2) the Arts In Motion Youth Dance Ensemble for children eight to 13. AIM presents a dance performance every spring, and its youth dance ensemble performs throughout the year. Every other year, AIM puts on "The Windham Nutcracker," a production based on the traditional ballet but set in Willimantic in the 1880s and incorporating area history.

AIM is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with an annual budget of $ 110,000. It receives grants from sources including the Connecticut Commission on the Arts and the Eastern Connecticut Community Foundation. Most of its funds come from tuition for the dance and movement classes and the summer theatre program. AIM also conducts fundraisers such as auctions, dance-a-thons, and membership drives. It currently has about 100 members, who pay an annual membership fee of at least $ 30. Two part-time employees staff AIM, with a bookkeeper coming in for five hours each week. AIM's website is www. artsinmotiononline. org. A member of the Windham Area Arts Collaborative, AIM is also featured on the collaborative's website at www. threadcity. com/waac.

ARTS COUNCIL OF GREATER NEW HAVEN

The Arts Council of Greater New Haven (ACGNH) was established in 1964. It sponsors and coordinates a wide variety of arts activities for children and adults, including (1) classes and workshops; (2) exhibitions; (3) music; (4) talks, tours, and films; (5) theatre and dance; and (6) other special events. It publishes a monthly magazine, New Haven Arts, which has an approximate circulation of 10,000. ACGNH also provides networking opportunities for artists and advocacy services for arts education and the arts community. A 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, ACGNH's funding comes from several sources: (1) membership fees; (2) grants (3) fundraising; (4) ticket sales; and (5) contributions from artists, patrons, businesses, and individuals. It has a staff of eight and an annual budget of $ 600,000, and its website is www. artscouncil-newhaven. org.

SHORELINE ARTS ALLIANCE

The Shoreline Arts Alliance (SAA) was founded in 1980 and serves towns from East Haven to Old Lyme and as far north as Haddam. It organizes and sponsors exhibitions, concerts, dance programs, workshops, and student scholarships. It also promotes the activities of 50 non-profit organization affiliates by listing them on its website and in its newsletter for a moderate annual fee.

A 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, the majority of SAA's $ 200,000 annual budget comes from its corporate sponsors. It also receives funding from (1) a Connecticut Commission on the Arts grant and art endowment, (2) the Community Foundation for Greater New Haven, (3) Arts Patron Circle members, (4) fees from its approximately 400 members, (5) submission fees, and (6) ticket sales.

Only one of SAA's four staff members works full time. The program director works full time on organizational duties and media relations, while the executive director works part time and handles board relations and development. An administrative coordinator also works part time, and a bookkeeper comes in as needed. More than 100 volunteers offer their services each year to help keep SAA running smoothly. SAA's website is available at www. shorelinearts. org.

WINDHAM REGIONAL ARTS COUNCIL

The Windham Regional Arts Council (WRAC) was established in the mid-1980s to keep arts and culture alive in the Windham area. WRAC puts on art shows and supports the Willimantic Orchestra, the Windham Area Arts Consortium, and local theatres. It holds a youth music competition in the fall and an annual juried competition for middle and high school students in music, literature, and drama. Last year, WRAC was able to award a scholarship to a talented but underprivileged area youth. The council sends its newsletter, ARTSPECTRUM, to its members three times each year to inform them of events and call attention to local artists' accomplishments.

A 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization, WRAC raises most of its funds through its members and from ticket sales. It currently has between 300 and 350 members, each of whom pays $ 10 in annual membership dues. WRAC also receives $ 1,000 annually from the town of Windham and hosts a Mystery Dinner every other year as a fundraiser. And it recently entered into a collaborative arrangement with Windham Regional Hospital to show and sell artwork, with the hospital receiving 15% of the profits.

WRAC does not have a specific budget, as it quickly spends the money it takes in on other arts events and overhead costs. It has no paid employees and relies entirely on volunteers. Many of these volunteers are also on the 18-member board that manages the council. WRAC does not have its own website, but it is featured on Willimantic's website at www. threadcity. com/wrac and is a member of the Windham Area Arts Collaborative, online at www. threadcity. com/waac.

LOCAL ARTS ORGANIZATIONS

Connecticut communities support approximately 50 local arts councils. The Connecticut Commission on the Arts features a listing of these organizations on its website at www. ctarts. org/artrec32. htm. We have included a copy of this list for your convenience.

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