The Arts Scene

In Connecticut, artists stick together — and they know how to amp up an arts scene. They’re creating new projects, they’re diversifying their programming, and they’re transforming how local artists collaborate.

The Arts Community

Connecticut’s arts and culture community is tight-knit. The state’s compact size means a closer network, a less saturated industry, and more opportunities to create new projects that stand out. With influence from major nearby cultural hubs like New York City, artists can be among the best of the best while still making an impact and connecting on a more local level.

Since the pandemic, Connecticut’s art scene has been evolving into something new and beautiful. Not only have more young people become inspired to create and are gaining more opportunities to get involved, but the role of representation and inclusion in the arts has come to the forefront. And the pandemic didn’t just impact artists – it also sparked a craving for the arts among the public, resulting in a warm embrace of creative projects.

The city of New Haven is totally revamping how they look at inclusion in the arts. How? With their new Cultural Equity Plan, which serves as a tool to identify opportunities for equitable change and ways to weave equity into their systems. It’s meant to help begin and facilitate important conversations between local artists and New Haven city leaders and residents.

And in Greater Hartford, we’re seeing an influx of events, festivals, and public art. With a growing demand to create “Instagrammable” murals to attract young people to neighborhoods and communities, organizations like RiseUP for Arts are creating new public artwork to cover city streets and make art accessible to everyone. Plus, the organization is getting young people involved by holding events geared toward young professionals in Greater Hartford.