Hartford Business Journal

www.HartfordBusiness.com • March 19, 2018 • Hartford Business Journal 15 Schwartz's family requested the money be used to acquire 18th-cen- tury English and European art. Wadsworth learned not long ago that it was on deck to receive an anonymous "mid-seven-figure" bequest from a donor. Loughman wouldn't reveal further details. He called the pending donation "forever money," because it will be funneled into investments that pro- vide a chunk of Wadsworth's operat- ing budget each year. "It's a perpetual fund for the ben- efit of the general operations of the museum," he said. Changed neighborhood It's too soon to tell what impact federal tax reform might have on Wadsworth's financial outlook, so for now, Loughman said he and his 73-employee team remain focused on membership renewals, and prospect- ing for new members and donors through a direct-mail campaign and other outreach efforts. They've created a database of key corporate contacts at the 100 largest area companies through which the museum hopes to build up its "em- ployee engagement" programs. A number of large employers have corporate memberships that al- low their workers to attend free of charge. The employee engagement efforts aim to take those relation- ships a step further. Wadsworth, for example, is hoping to design custom tours or events for employee groups focused on particu- lar topics. Perhaps most important to Wad- sworth's mission, Loughman has focused on exhibiting fine art and increasing access to it. Nearly 3,000 Hartford households have registered for his signature "Wad- sworth Welcome" program, which pro- vides free admission to city residents. Special exhibits also receive top attention. "They're the catalyst for many, many visits, and often for first-time visits," he said. Loughman said he also wants to leverage the benefits of a surround- ing neighborhood that looks very different and much busier than it did just five years ago. The arrival of UConn has invigo- rated Prospect Street, which runs along the backside of the Wadsworth. Loughman has made a point of trying to present the museum's best face to the newly bustling street. The museum recently dressed up its UConn-facing facade with fresh signage, including a portrait of a bemused-looking Daniel Wadsworth stationed in a second-floor window. "Instead of this being the side of the building with the garbage cans, it should be the side of the building that's welcoming, and something that incites curiosity," Loughman said. Wadsworth also invested nearly $100,000 to renovate its restaurant. The renamed Untitled (2017) Café reopened in September and is run by Mills Restaurant Group, which operates six other restaurants in the area, including the nearby Republic at the Linden. Loughman also said Wadsworth is in talks with UConn to provide classroom space for its arts admin- istration master's degree program, currently in Storrs. The collaboration would require renovating a second-floor storage area. Loughman said the space could be ready sometime during the up- coming academic year. UConn spokeswoman Stephanie Reitz declined to comment on any potential arrangement. "While we're not in a position to talk publicly about the conversations, we're grateful to the Wadsworth and the many other institutions in downtown Hartford whose support is helping make the campus such a vibrant, suc- cessful place," Reitz said. 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 $0 $100,000 $200,000 $300,000 $400,000 $500,000 $600,000 Revenue Membership Admissions Wadsworth Admissions and Membership Revenues Source: Wadsworth annual reports Do you know an epic business leader in our region? NOMINATE TODAY DEADLINE 4/18/18 www.HartfordBusiness.com/ourevents Click on Lifetime Achievement Awards PRESENTING SPONSOR: EDUCATION LEADERSHIP SPONSOR:

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