Greater Hartford’s art scene has been adding jobs in recent years, but at a slower pace than Worcester and Boston, according to a new study.
The study, co-sponsored by the Connecticut Office of the Arts and the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, said lack of investment and public support is the reason for the lagging job growth.
While local arts participation is stronger in music, theater, history and art exhibits compared to the national average, the industry is still strapped by a shortage of partnerships, space and infrastructure, and low awareness of local offerings, according to the study, conducted by Boston-based nonprofit consultant TDC and DataArts.
Results were aired Monday at the foundation’s headquarters at 10 Columbus Blvd.
According to the study, jobs in arts and design have increased by 12 percent since 2012, which trails job growth in Boston (35 percent) and Worcester (34 percent) by a wide margin.
Meantime, jobs for performers and writers have only risen by 8 percent and 10 percent, respectively, which is less than half of growth achieved in the nearby Massachusetts cities.
About one-third of Greater Hartford arts organizations say they are financially fragile. Mid-sized organizations are the most vulnerable, the study said, with 45 percent of those entities operating financially in monthly increments.
There’s also a disproportionate amount of white patrons attending regional art exhibits, dance performances, and other music and theater events, although that gap is smaller here than it is nationally.
Other factors slowing the industry, according to the report, include:
- Less consistent operating support;
- Larger organizations collecting the majority of funding;
- A perception that Hartford arts are of low quality;
- Declining tourism funding;
- Audiences not willing to travel;
- Resources are spread too thin;
- The arts workforce has too few people of color.
