Submitted by Barbara Nair, Exec. Dir., Arts Center Killingworth.
Centerbrook, CT (February 1, 2022) — Connecticut Humanities, the statewide, nonprofit affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), has awarded the Arts Center Killingworth and Spectrum Art Gallery and Store an $11,400 CT Cultural Fund Operating Support Grant (CTCFOSG).
The Arts Center and Spectrum Gallery will employ the grant money in a variety of ways with a keen focus on the growth and development of new and innovative programming. Investment in the latest and most efficient technologies is also crucial, with new technology platforms including video conferencing, social media, and other forms of outreach between the organization and the communities they serve.
“We are truly thankful for this generous gift,” noted Barbara Nair, Executive Director of the organizations. “With Covid-19 and the subsequent Delta and Omicron variants, traffic into the Gallery and attendance for classes and workshops has been severely impacted. Less traffic means less revenue to develop and offer programs. But with this generous grant, we’ll be able to increase our programming and implement the best technologies to provide new and relevant art experiences – both in-person and online!”
The Arts Center and Spectrum Art Gallery was one of 624 organizations in Connecticut that was awarded CT Cultural Fund support totaling $16M from CT Humanities. The CTCFOSG are part of $30.7M of support allocated to arts, humanities, and cultural nonprofits through CTH over the next two years by the CT General Assembly and approved by Governor Ned Lamont. The CTCFOSG will assist organizations as they recover from the pandemic and maintain and grow their ability to serve their community and the public.
This grant was administered by CT Humanities (CTH), with funding provided by the Connecticut State Department of Economic and Community Development/Connecticut Office of the Arts (COA) from the Connecticut State Legislature.
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About Arts Center Killingworth and Spectrum Art Gallery and Store
Arts Center Killingworth, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) founded in 2004 offers art classes, workshops, and camps for children, teens, and adults. Volunteer opportunities are provided for those wishing to be more involved in the arts and their communities, while teens can obtain community service hours. The Arts Center also presents two annual outdoor festivals: Summer Arts Festival on the Essex Connecticut Town Green in June; and Autumn Arts Festival on the Madison Connecticut Town Green in October. Named “Best Gallery on the Connecticut Shoreline” for several years running, Spectrum Gallery and Store in Centerbrook opened in 2014 and presents six annual gallery exhibits, showcasing representational and abstract painting, mixed media, sculpture and photography, and many fine artisanal crafts by artists from throughout Connecticut, the Tri-state Area, and New England. For more information visit spectrumartgallery.org. Follow on social media at facebook.com/spectrumartgallery, instagram.com/spectrumartgallery, and twitter.com/spectrum_ct
