Revitalizing Neighborhoods
Artists are known for their ability to create beauty in their surroundings. With help from the Community Foundation of Greater New Britain, an affordable housing project in New Britain is banking on it.
The Hicks Gallery and Community Art Studio, located at 66 West Main Street, contains 11 cooperative housing units, an art gallery, a café and community art space. These co-op artists earn financial equity in the building by providing art services to the community, a commitment they agreed to in writing.
“It’s a huge deal,” says Jim Dunn, president of Alderhouse Residential Communities in Middletown, the Project’s developer. Alderhouse has completed two other artists’ housing projects in New London and Middle¬town and secured more than $1.5 million in 2002 to renovate the New Britain building.
“The Hicks building exudes history, and it has a beautiful facade,” says Dunn. “It’s also the only five-story building left on that street.”
The Foundation provided a grant in 2002 that helped fund the launching of this project. In March 2005, they awarded an additional grant to support the completion of the gallery, art studio, and café.
Dunn and the Hicks board heard about the Community Foundation from a variety of sources, including other New Britain area nonprofit organizations that had been assisted by the Foundation. The consensus was “they’re very active and make really good investments,” he says.
His experience reinforced what he had heard. “The Foundation staff knew what we were looking for and what else we could do to make it work,” says Dunn. This included finding local artists to sell jewelry and an organic farmer in New Britain who would be willing to supply fresh produce to the café. The art gallery is located in the storefront ground floor space. Movable walls and an open layout accommodate art exhibition openings, musical performances, meet¬ings, speakers, and school tours. Every two months, six new artists’ works are chosen for exhibition. Having applied for grants from other foundations, Dunn and his board know from experience that out-of-area funders aren’t as committed as local ones. “You just don’t have the personal relationship that we have with the Community Foundation of Greater New Britain,” he says, adding, “Their generous financial support was instrumental in keeping the momentum moving forward.”
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