SENATORS LOONEY & CABRERA WELCOME STATE GRANT TO RE-MAKE EMPTY ART SCHOOL INTO AN ARTS HUB 

HAMDEN – Senate President Martin Looney (D-New Haven) and state Senator Jorge Cabrera (D-Hamden) today welcomed a vote by the bipartisan Community Investment Fund (CIF) 2030 board that will bring $250,000 to Hamden to begin the process of renovating the former Paier College of Art campus into “HALO” – the Hamden Arts and Learning Oasis, an arts and culture hub.

It is envisioned that HALO will feature remodeled visual and performing arts studios equipped for painting, sculpture, dance, music, writing, performance, multimedia arts, and interdisciplinary fields such as wellness, culinary arts, and sustainability. A community gallery will showcase works by local artists and students, while workshops and classes will engage individuals of all ages in learning and artistic exploration. Additionally, a residency program will provide studio space and resources for emerging and established artists.

The CIF vote is a key step toward final approval of the projects by the State Bond Commission, which must come in the next 60 days.

“Like law and literature, art, music and dance are just as significant a part of the fabric of our society. The desire to re-make a shuttered art school into a hub of art and culture in Hamden is a wonderful re-use of the facility that will benefit the community and expand the local arts scene,” Sen. Looney said.

“We have to put Paier behind us and find a way to move forward for the benefit of the community and of local artists. I think the HALO project has merit and I look forward to the community discussions and design plan to make it a reality,” said Sen. Cabrera.

The $250,000 grant has been awarded to Transcend The Trend, whose mission is to achieve equity in the local education system in and through the arts. Since its founding in 2021, TTT has focused on providing youth programs, fostering educational partnerships, and supporting the development of resources for underserved artists in Hamden and Stamford.

The architectural and design plans for HALO will be created after a community engagement meeting and a feasibility study. The project also includes the development of fundraising materials to pay for the cost of renovating the space. The goal of the arts and culture hub is to increase the number of youth and adults engaged in arts education programs annually to about 300 participants, and to provide at least 50 local artists with professional development and exhibition opportunities.

The Community Investment Fund 2030 (CIF) was created by a bipartisan vote of the General Assembly in 2021 and is funded through state bonding. The CIF fosters economic development in historically underserved communities across the state. The CIF will provide hundreds of millions of dollars to eligible municipalities as well as not-for-profit organizations and community development corporations that operate within them.

CIF grants are available for:

Capital improvement programs, such as brownfield remediation, affordable housing, infrastructure, clean energy development, and home or public facility rehabilitation.

Small business capital programs, including revolving or micro loan programs, gap financing, and start-up funds to establish small businesses.

Planning for capital projects including activities such as community engagement processes, feasibility studies, development of project plan and construction budget.