Connecticut Governor Rell Announces Grants for Connecticut Cultural Attractions

April 7, 2008 -- Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell today announced that the state has awarded more than $1.1 million in matching grants to 44 organizations across the state to help fund projects that enrich cultural attractions and draw visitors to Connecticut.

Jazz drummer Arti Dixson live in New Haven, Connecticut.: Photo by Professor Bop (CC)

The grants, awarded by the Connecticut Commission on Culture & Tourism (CCT) are the result of $4 million in new funding allocated by Governor Rell in the state’s 2007-2008 budget.

“These projects enhance the vast and exciting cultural and tourism offerings in our state,” Governor Rell said. “We want to bring together the arts, history, film and tourism to promote our cultural attractions and draw visitors to Connecticut. These grants will bring about new and enhanced partnerships that will help create jobs while simultaneously fostering arts and history appreciation among our young people.

“We have not fully tapped the arts as an engine of employment and economic development. There is plenty of room for job growth in our state’s arts industry and we want to do everything we can to stimulate and expand it.”

For more information on state grant programs, please visit www.cultureandtourism.org .

Culture & Tourism Challenge Grants were modeled after a successful marketing grants program offered by the former State Tourism Office. These matching grants help culture and tourism organizations or sites to advance their marketing efforts, further promote attractions and events and strategically plan for the future. The grants also support product development and extend CCT’s strategic marketing efforts.

Underserved Youth Grants offer substantive arts experiences during non-school hours for underserved middle-school youth. Early Learning Grants support programs that utilize the arts to improve the quality and increase the accessibility of early childhood learning opportunities.

Special Initiative Grants support unique and creative projects and partnerships that advance culture and tourism in Connecticut. Projects must have a statewide impact and demonstrate purpose and activity that cross the tourism, arts, culture and history disciplines.

Governor Rell’s proposed budget includes measures that make unprecedented investments in arts, culture and tourism programs. Governor Rell is proposing the creation of a $10 million Cultural Treasures grant program. Not less than 25 percent of the program’s resources must be spent on smaller programs. In addition, the Governor is proposing the creation of a $20 million capital Cultural Treasures grant program to enhance the state’s arts, cultural, historic and tourist venues.

Source: Connecticut Governor

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