HARTFORD, Conn. (WTIC Radio)—The Bushnell Performing Arts Center is ready to welcome audiences back this fall with the help of a $5.7 million federal grant.
Through the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG) program, The Bushnell will be receiving around $5.75 million this week to support its reopening, President & CEO David Fay said.
Generous donations have kept The Bushnell going during the pandemic, Fay said, totaling about $2.2 million in 2019 and close to $2.1 million throughout its closure this past year.
"That's incredible that we've had that much commitment from our private donors, but you can't overcome a pandemic with private donorship," Fay said.
These funds will enable the theater to rehire furloughed staff, put on performances and bring back educational programs for children and educators, Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer Patti Jackson said.
The Bushnell grant is among 36 grants that have been awarded to performing arts venues across Connecticut, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal said, including Heart and Soul Entertainment in Bethel, the Downtown Cabaret Theatre in Bridgeport and the Main Street Ballet Company in Woodbury.
"Anybody who needs this money, if you are a producer, if you are a theater, if you are a concert hall, apply," Blumenthal said, noting that more grants are expected to be rewarded in the near future and more SVOG funds are available for those in need.
Blumenthal has fought for this federal funding since the pandemic first hit with the Save Our Stages Act. He has advocated for those in the arts due to their economic and social value.
Entertainment venues are part of an ecosystem, he said, with audience members spending money while at the venue and with these venues bringing people from all walks of life together.
Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin agreed, saying that The Bushnell serves not only as an economic driver for the city but as a center for social development and gatherings.
"This legislation," Bronin said, "also represents a recognition on the federal level that the arts matter, that the arts are central to our lives and to the lives of our community. That's a big deal in itself."
The Bushnell will be officially reopening its doors to the public on September 11 with a commemorative event to recognize the 20th anniversary of 9/11. The theater will then kick off the return of theater productions with the musical "Escape to Margaritaville" in October.
According to Senior Vice President for Education and Community Initiatives Yolande Spears, the theater plans to see the return of training workshops for art and music teachers in August, of community partnerships with schools and other organizations, and of the Family First Night program which helps members of underserved communities see Broadway productions with reduced ticket prices.
For additional information on upcoming events and performances at The Bushnell, visit the theater's website.