About Us
Who We Are
With a focus on the arts and culture within the City of Danbury, the Danbury Cultural Commission takes its charge and funding from the City of Danbury as a Mayor's Commission chartered in December 1967. The Commission's goals are: to develop new cultural programs and sustain established ones, which improve the quality of life as well as benefit the community of Danbury. Additional goals are to encourage, promote and nurture the arts by creating a climate in which they can flourish and be experienced by the widest possible audience as well as showcase Danbury as an innovation destination.
The City of Danbury Cultural Commission is primarily a grant making commission, one of 3 cities in Connecticut offering direct financial support. Grants are provided to sustain organizations which provide cultural, artistic, and educational programs, and for seed funding to promote new individuals and organizations, many of which are offered free, for the Danbury community. Supported programs bring cultural experiences to children and adults who might otherwise be unable to take advantage of these events.
Also the Commission produces programs directly for resident interactions, such as: High school Literary competitions, scholarships, and events like International Make Music Day, National Park(ing) day, Connecticut Open House Day, Sidewalk chalk art exhibitions, Walking tours, and citizen interactions like Community Enhancement Award, Danbury Cultural Collaboration, various social media initiatives, and selecting the Poet Laureate.
Service to Residents:
1. Collaborated with the Commission and relevant city departments, agencies, authorities, and commissions to support events reaching nearly 75,000 individuals from organizations, agencies, and artists, contributing to Danbury’s economic stability.
2. Led the redesign of the City’s website to more clearly identify and promote the wide range of events held throughout the City every week.
3. Continued to produce a weekly newsletter featuring cultural and artistic events.
4. Expanded programming for underserved communities, with a focus on English as a Second Language (ESL) families.
Service to Students:
1. Engaged hundreds of secondary school students in the City through the 52nd annual Poetry Contest, Flash Fiction Contest, and public readings.
2. Awarded scholarships to students from Danbury High School, the Alternative Center for Excellence, and Henry Abbott Technical High School who are pursuing an arts education. (Note: Text has been streamlined and some content removed as per the education section.)
Service to the Community:
1. Appointed as the first Danbury Poet Laureate, working with state and national programs to promote written and spoken poetry throughout the City.
2. Developed the Community Enhancement Award to recognize local businesses that support and increase interest in the City.
3. Produced the "Did You Know..." video series to highlight the rich history and diversity of Danbury.
4. Secured a state grant for a Music Festival.
5. Organized downtown walking tours and promoted special events such as Park(ing) Day, Sidewalk Chalk Art Days, and the "Hollywood to Hat City" Movie Series.
Service to the Region:
1. Founded the Danbury Cultural Collaboration to foster cooperation among local cultural and artistic initiatives.
Objectives
Developed an architectural lecture series for Danbury High School's Architecture/Civil Engineering Academy, aimed at expanding youth engagement in artistic and cultural events and projects throughout the City.
Seek sponsorship from groups and individuals to fund cultural and artistic events such as Sidewalk Chalk Art Day, Neighborhood Walk Day, Park(ing) Day, Make Music Day, visual art projects (both indoor and outdoor), ‘Reader's Theater’ productions, photography initiatives, pop-up art exhibits, and roundtable discussions with area arts providers.
Collaborate with the Finance Department to streamline and enhance the efficiency of the grant application process for municipal entities. Continue to apply for funding from state, federal, and private agencies to supplement the City Commission budget, while identifying and promoting additional financial opportunities for cultural and arts organizations.
Actively work with community organizations, alongside the Mayor, to improve equitable advocacy and increase diversity within the City’s cultural initiatives.
Revise procedures to make it easier for citizens to participate in obtaining services and funds from the Commission. Strive to be a collaborative partner with Danbury’s artists and arts organizations, making the participation process more user-friendly.
Expand outreach within the community to raise awareness of the Cultural Commission’s work through both social and traditional media, promoting services that support artists and organizations. Clearly communicate grant eligibility and conditions to foster greater citizen involvement and creativity, which will drive financial growth. Notable initiatives include the Poet Laureate program, the Community Enhancement Award, and the Danbury Cultural Collaboration workshops.
Our Impact
Close to 75,000 people attended events supported by the Cultural Commission in FY 2022/2023. These people bought tickets, many hired a 'sitter', most purchased food at a restaurant or "food truck" and some stayed overnight in a hotel. "Nonprofit Arts & Cultural Event Attendees Spend an Average of $34.04 Per Person (excluding the cost of admission)"1. That is over 2 Million Dollars brought into the Danbury economy with the assistance of the Danbury Cultural Commission.
Advise area art groups
Provide Grants supporting group and individuals for cultural and artistic programs
Assist with program ideas
Advise visual/performing artists
Serve as liaison & referral to performers and organizations
Offer a list of Cultural organizations
Publicize events in the area
Provide information on performing arts facilities
Coordinate area arts/cultural events
How We Help
One of 3 Cities in Connecticut providing direct Grants
Both sustaining and startup grants are available
The Commission offers small start up grants each year
High School Poetry Contest
High School Flash Fiction Contest
Community Enhancement Award
Student Scholarships
International Make Music Day Festival
International Park(ing) Day [promoting open spaces]
Sidewalk Chalk Exhibition [visual art for a moment]
Jane Jacobs Neighborhood Walks [exploring the community 1 step at a time]
POEM City [the best high school poetry in Main Street storefronts]
Danbury Cultural Collaboration [cooperation among cultural and arts producers]
Hollywood to Hat City movie series [bringing Danbury made films to the fore]