Hartford Reporter

HARTFORD, CONN (April 25, 2022) – Today, Mayor  Bronin announced DominGO! Hartford’s Arts Activation Program. DominGO!  Hartford is an open-streets program set for the fourth Sunday of every  month from 9am - 3pm in June - September 2022. This program will  temporarily transform our streets into healthy, active spaces by making  them vehicle-free. The streets will be open to walking, biking, skating,  dancing, and engaging with Hartford’s vibrant communities and  businesses in new ways.

To support the success of the DominGO! program, the Hartford  Foundation for Public Giving, the City of Hartford, 224 EcoSpace, the  Commission on Cultural Affairs, and AARP Connecticut have partnered to  produce an Arts Activation program. The City has released a  call-for-artists, asking residents and organizations to submit their  ideas for art and cultural expression that interpret our streets as  public space for people. Interested artists can visit the following link  to be considered for this program: https://tinyurl.com/DominGOArts.

“We’re thrilled to have a chance to highlight Hartford’s amazing  artists and creators and vibrant arts community during our DominGO! open  streets initiative,” said Mayor Bronin. “With this Arts Activation  Program, artists of all ages can have their creativity and skill on  display throughout the City’s commercial corridors. We encourage all  Hartford residents to apply and help bring their art and energy to our  streets during DominGO!”

“We are excited to partner with the City and 224 EcoSpace to activate  Hartford’s streets through this new endeavor” said Erika Frank, Senior  Community Officer at the Hartford Foundation. “We know that showcasing  artists and supporting community engagement with the arts is a critical  component of moving towards recovery from the economic and  social/emotional impacts of the pandemic.”

The City of Hartford’s Commission on Cultural Affairs will assist in  curating the artistic cultural elements for DominGO! Hartford’s event on  June 26th.

“The DominGO! Arts Activation program will highlight our diverse  creative community—where it can be broadly accessed by our Hartford  neighborhoods," said Richard Hollant, Chair of the Commission on  Cultural Affairs. “As champions of Hartford artists, the Commission on  Cultural Affairs is thrilled to support more opportunities to lift up  our arts and culture community. We are prepared to lead thoughtful  deliberation and curation to ensure this program represents the best of  Hartford's seasoned and emerging talent.” 

The 224 EcoSpace will serve as the fiscal agent for this effort,  building off of their successful work with the Hartford Foundation for  Public Giving and the Artists of Color Accelerator program (AOCA). The  City will use these existing networks to invite all mediums of art.  Their vision for the program is to have the streets of Hartford on  DominGO! days filled with immersive and interactive art to allow anyone  and everyone to celebrate Hartford’s culture.

“As a lover and supporter of the Hartford Art’s Community, the 224  EcoSpace/Conference of Churches count it all joy to be part of DominGo!  Hartford,” said Reverend F. Lydell Brown III, CEO of the 224 EcoSpace.  “The community, and its residents definitely need and deserve a breath  of fresh air, and these events will promote the artistry that Hartford  has and is known for.”

Artist’s submissions will be reviewed by a four-person panel put  together by the City of Hartford’s Commission on Cultural Affairs. The  panel will look for applicants who incorporate elements of the street as  a true public space for people into their artwork. Preference will be  placed on Hartford-based artists. Those who are selected to participate  in Arts Activation Program have the opportunity to receive anywhere  between $500 to $5,000 in compensation for their pieces.

“DominGO! will allow people of all ages and abilities to experience  the streets of Hartford in a new way,” said Anna Doroghazi, AARP CT  Policy Director. “It’s important for communities to think about how  pedestrians, cyclists, and other non-motorists use public spaces. Our  hope is that, in addition to being fun and intergenerational, these  events will ultimately lead to safer streets.”

Please visit the following link to fill out the intake questions to be considered as an artist for this program: https://tinyurl.com/DominGOArts  

For more information regarding this call-for-artists please contact info@domingohartford.com.  Applications of interest will be accepted through May 20, 2022, and  anticipate announcing selected artists by the week of June 6, 2022.