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Connecticut Arts Venues Receive Lifeline Through SBA Grants

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A total of 140 venues in Connecticut have received federal relief funding through the Small Business Administration. 

More than $100 million from the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant Program has flowed into Connecticut.

Brett Elliott is the executive director at the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, known as The Kate, in Old Saybrook. He said the theater reopened in March. Then the Delta variant hit and ticket sales dipped, but the show is going on with the help of these funds.

“This is allowing us to make sure that when we welcome people back into the room we’re doing it at the full level people know the Kate for,” Elliot said.

Elliott said The Kate received close to $700,000 federal dollars. The Small Business Administration has disbursed more than half of the $16 billion allotted to the program.

Michael Moran is the President and CEO of The Palace, a theater in Stamford. He said the grant was the theater’s lifeline.

“We were able to stay caught up get caught up on all of our expenses and you know the operating expenses that we needed to address and we get to continue to use that money under the end of the calendar year,” Moran said.

Moran said The Palace received over $1 million from the grant.

Clare is a former news fellow with WSHU Public Radio.