Thursday, October 22, 2009

A Creative Class in Hartford?

Thanks for getting us started with some great comments to our last post.

Carl (pictured in "A Starting Point," in the middle) says:
Since we heard this show ... Hartford has been rated #5 in the country to start a small business, great press!

From Where We Live's John Dankosky:
"It's a perfect starter to what we're talking about. If we can agree that thriving, creative people make a thriving, creative city, then small business startups need to have a place here. So, what are the barriers to people starting business here? How do we tear them down so that more "creatives" are investing here?

For instance, this might be a barrier."

Thank you, Dankosky, for segueing into the topic of our next live broadcast.














(photo by Chris Metcalf, Creative Commons)


Locating Creativity: Can Art and Innovation Revitalize Hartford?

It’s not just musicians and artists. Its scientists and business people too. It's potentially YOU.

Can Hartford, the former insurance capital of the world, support a creative class? What (and who) is already here – and how can we connect them? How does the greater Hartford region contribute to Hartford’s creative landscape? What are the elements of a dynamic city – and where should Hartford focus its energy? What are the city’s barriers to a bustling creative economy?

We need you to help us shape this conversation! Send us your thoughts. Tell us about yourself. Put us in touch with your neighbor... Send us a link.
The creative economy - a critical mass of thinkers and doers - has revitalized cities around the country. How can we bring that here? Can we afford not to?

4 comments:

katherine said...

The link to "this" might be a barrier isn't working : (

real art ways said...

Fixed. Thanks for pointing that out. The link is to here: http://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-hartford-gangs1022.artoct22,0,2995399.story

Mizeyesis said...

First it's great that other artists of other communities recognize that there is an issue with networking amongst another. Or just even knowing what's going on in this city & not being afraid of something different.

I am a dj & musician in Hartford, which has a rich community of dj's, music producers, artists and musicians that are renown locally, regionally, nationally and internationally. Many of us aren't involved in just events that highlight Downtown Hartford but allover the Greater Hartford area and other parts of CT.

One of the things we all decided to do as dj's, music producers, patrons of sounds and event throwers was to support another, network, even collaborate on events and keep a constant dialogue so that we are aware of another and not in the dark which is what happens a LOT in CT it seems. If it's not covered in major newspapers, or featured in Downtown Hartford, it's never known and that is one part of the issue on both our parts. The communities here not being aware of the gems that exist here and the gems not having outlets and resources to promote and market to local areas.

Hartford already has a big local artist scene. The problem is that it isn't really known and it needs to have more resources to show this. How this happens? Not just with advertising and marketing but also with networking. Being in the middle of CT and between Boston and NYC, Hartford in itself gets trickle from both areas but also has it's own locally and statewide influences in terms of music, dance, art, stage and other arts movements.

I think another thing that would be great is to have some sort of networking party that will connect all the local facets of the arts which exist here. It would be nice to have an event which highlighted this not in the typical talent show way but some sort of Arts Conference which also can utilize the many venues and locations Hartford does have to support these different movements. That will also help sustain the local businesses which need local arts to help survive like bars, restaurants, night clubs and the various concert halls existing in this area.

The city needs to ponder hard on how to move into the 21st century more through the arts. There are so many ways to do it and so many facets from mainstream to underground sounds which should be reflected as art is a reflection on life. And further more it's through these actions which other businesses become more open to working with arts communities and brainstorming happens which can help one benefit the other.

For more information on whom I represent, please visit THRESHOLD Sound's links below. We are an Electronic Dance Music Artist Collective that has been in Hartford since 2004. We've been covered by the Hartford Courant and Advocate as our Collective is known statewide, regionally, nationally and internationally. We've played at many local venues in the Greater Hartford area and currently we have the only Dubstep weekly in the Northeast at Vegas Blvd in Hartford's West End which has been doing tremendiously since it's inception in July 2009. We've also brought many dj's and producers to Hartford through nights at Sully's Pub from NYC, London, California, Atlanta and all over and we work with other Hartford based dj collectives such as HPSU, Muck Crew, the djs at Koji and other reknown and respected groups. I invite you to become familiar with us and our story and ask for your support of not only what we do, but all local dj's, musicians, artists and producers.

Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/THRESHOLD-SOUND/64298473932?ref=ts
Myspace:
http://www.myspace.com/thresholdsoundct

Thank you for your time.

Miz-Eyesis
Co-Founder
THRESHOLD Sound

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