Introduction to Our Project
The LatinX Theatre Project team has been collaborating with the Hartford Stage and becoming involved with different organizations and artists. The Hartford Stage submitted this project proposal to the Action Lab because they have noticed that there is a gap and difference with the audience they attract. They have noticed that the majority of their audience comes from outside of Hartford, from a higher socioeconomic background. Since the Hartford Stage is located in the heart of Hartford, they are looking for ways to connect to the city. Hartford is made up a very diverse community that is majority people of color, 43% of whom are LatinX. The Hartford Stage was particularly interested in which churches, restaurants, cafes, bars, etc, are important to the LatinX community, and what organizations they utilize. The ultimate goal of the Hartford Stage is to connect and deepen their relationships in the city and it is through direct feedback from the Latinx community. They want to create meaningful partnerships and support the already existing and thriving community of Latinx artists and audiences. Our end goal for this project is to find ways to connect the Hartford Stage with the LatinX community in Hartford. Our website is also available in Spanish, click here to view it.
After meeting with our community partner, we decided on three research questions to guide our research process. They are:
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- What acts/organizations are already in the area that involve the LatinX community and could potentially partner with the Hartford Stage?
- Where does the LatinX community spend their free time and what art and/or cultural activities are most relevant to the community?
- How can we be most effective at creating or encouraging partnerships between the Hartford Stage and organizations/artists from the LatinX community of Hartford, and what could these partnerships include?