Hartford Business Journal

8 Hartford Business Journal • June 4, 2018 • www.HartfordBusiness.com Riverfront Recapture looks to innovate as it preps for busy summer Q&A talks with Michael Zaleski, president and CEO of Riverfront Recapture. Q. Riverfront Recapture earlier this year announced the launch of the Riverfront Innovation Fund. What is it and why was it created? A. The Riverfront Innovation Fund is designed to provide seed money for new Riverfront Recap- ture programs and projects. It was established as part of our 2017-2020 strategic plan, earmarking up to $200,000 to be distributed between 2018 and 2020. No project will be awarded more than $50,000. We cre- ated this fund to generate revenue, and find new and creative ways to activate our parks. All proposals submitted to the Riverfront Innovation Fund have to be feasible and have the potential to generate income. We have a particu- lar interest in funding projects that leverage our existing resources, focus on young adults and professionals and are consistent with our strategic plan. Hopefully, in the next round of appli- cations, we'll see more proposals that utilize our parks in the winter. If you have an idea that connects people to the Connecticut River, save it for the next round of the Riverfront Innovation Fund applications, which will open later this year. Q. The deadline for the first round of ap- plications for the Riverfront Innovation Fund program was Feb. 22. How many proposals did you receive? A. We received 15 proposals, which was very exciting, as we had no idea how many to expect. Many of the proposals were event-based, targeting specific au- diences including families, pet owners, the LGBTQ community, fitness enthu- siasts, foodies and sports fans. Some of the proposals suggested new infrastruc- ture along the river, from pop-ups to permanent structures. Of the 15 proposals, one requested no money, and the rest ranged from $5,000 to the maximum amount of $50,000. The committee brought five of the applicants in for presentations and Q&A. The final decision is in process and will be announced soon. Michael Zaleski President and CEO, Riverfront Recapture FOCUS: Arts & Culture By Joe Cooper jcooper@HartfordBusiness.com P erforming-arts institutions are in a race against time trying to pursue the affection of a Millennial generation that has never fully engaged live performances infusing drama, music or dance. Audience demographics across the country have become increasingly disproportionate, industry experts say, with older patrons carrying the bot- tom line for many arts organizations. Greater Hartford arts executives say this local and national trend manifested for many reasons: Affordability; nega- tive perceptions of the arts; government funding cuts; a competitive leisure mar- ket; and lack of exposure to the area's many offerings, among other barriers. Foreshadowing a difficult decade ahead, the heralded Con- necticut Opera closed in 2009 after 67 seasons citing a limp economy and mount- ing expenses. To avoid further closures, Steve Collins, executive director of the Hartford Symphony Orchestra (HSO), says industry professionals are rushing to study how to engage today's younger population and are rethinking their marketing, pricing and performance selection. But luring people to the arts begins in primary school, where students are less exposed to instruments, dance and musical performances than ever before. That's why Collins, and other performing-arts leaders in Connecti- cut, say they are working to introduce their art forms into the classroom through new programming. HSO's Instrument Petting Zoo, for ex- ample, is a musical laboratory that gives children an opportunity to see, touch and play with musical instruments, sometimes for the first time. The two- hour program is geared for kindergarten to third-grade students. The organization's Sym- phony in Schools program also brings HSO chamber ensembles into the classroom through collaborative and interactive live performances for students of all ages. Students are also wel- comed to the symphony dur- ing school-day performances at the Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts, known as Discov- ery Concerts. These programs follow research that suggest people who have played or stud- ied an instrument are far more likely to attend a performing-arts concert. "We invest a lot of energy in those programs," Collins said. "These are long-term investments in building audiences for the future." Pricing Affordability will always drive how patrons divide their disposable income, Performance Anxiety As traditional audience ages, Greater Hartford arts venues vie for Millennial business Steve Collins, Executive Director, Hartford Symphony Orchestra (HSO) (Left) Dancers at Connecticut Ballet rehearse for their upcoming performance, "Pulse," scheduled for July 21 at Elizabeth Park in West Hartford. (Right) Actress Sierra Boggess starred as Countess Ellen Olenska in the world premiere of "The Age of Innocence" at Hartford Stage. PHOTOS | CONTRIBUTED

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