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40 n e w h a v e n B I Z | J a n u a r y 2 0 2 0 | n e w h a v e n b i z . c o m ARTS & CULTURE as artists] but there's affordable housing for many people. ere are a lot of benefits for having artists in specific housing — and I'm open to that conversation — but you've got to be careful when implementing that kind of artist-specific housing policy. You want to be sure we're not elbowing out other people who are also in need and are deserving. And studio space? I do know it's been increasingly difficult to fill [street level] retail space because of the Amazon effect — and that can be an opportunity to be used as studio space. Everyone would like to live in a city where there is first-floor retail space and full and active streets — but it's more difficult to do that. Will the focus of the Division of Arts, Culture & Tourism be less focused on outside-drawing events — Operapalooza, concerts on the Green? Will they have the same priority? What am I going to say? I'm coming into office and say we're no longer going to have the Grand Prix? at's not an effective way for me to promote collaboration within the arts community. But I do think the role of the director of arts and culture is one where that person can encourage all arts organizations — many of which are already working hard to promote more local talent. e director of cultural affairs can help prioritize that more so that these events, where we spend a lot of money bringing outside artists and performers, have a better mix of local talent. What do you see as the future for the International Festival of Arts & Ideas, which has seen leadership changes in the last few years and flat attendance? I don't want to seem like I'm dodging the question, but it's more than I can answer now. I need to spend more time talking with the organizations that are the recipients of the funding and exploring what opportunities exist out there. e festival is an important element of the city historically, but it's also become increasingly difficult with budget challenges to help support everything in the same way. Are you saying that the city doesn't have the resources as it once did, where before it could swoop in to save the Shubert or start an international festival? Are you saying the arts are not too big to fail? I wouldn't say that quote. I think it's really important to underscore that we have $1.5 billion of debt and our financial system is going to get worse and worse over the coming years unless we do something to dramatically correct the course. We'll either have to find new sources of revenue or make some really difficult decisions. It's difficult for me to make promises I'm not sure I can keep. I will be proactively Continued from Page 39 looking at other sources of revenue. In many ways our budgets have been cut in every sector over the years. Our city is already lean, and I really understand when people say the arts are oen the first to get cut. And they certainly have over the years. I'll do my best not to do that — but I also think we have to be realistic about our financial capacity. Will the city seek to actively promote arts entrepreneurism or new initiatives, such as when Long Wharf Theatre/Shubert/Albertus Magnus College were looking for a new downtown space? e short answer is yes. But there has to be an economic case for the city to put a significant amount of money into any new program and to see in the long term that it can pay for the amount it borrows to cover that project. But there are other ways for the city to help to make [such projects] happen. Oen the city owns property, or there may be a potential tax abatement for programs that help the city economically — but also that give back to the community. What cultural events have you taken in recently? We saw [Marco Ramirez's] e Royale at [New Haven's] Collective Consciousness eatre, and my wife and I thought it was one of the best shows we've seen. I'm very interested in music. Music has always been a big part of my life and I play guitar, banjo and harmonica. I find these days music is a way for people to bring people together, have a little fun and to be more human. We need a lot more humanizing today given our divisive politics and the incredible challenges our world faces. e arts have always played that important role in my life through music. n Major events such as concerts on the Green and the International Festival of Arts & Ideas (above) don't just build community — they can be major economic drivers, too.

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