Connecticut General Statutes
Chapter 184b - Department of Economic and Community Development: Culture and Tourism
Section 10-400. (Formerly Sec. 10-370). - Duties and powers of department re arts activities.

With respect to arts activities, the Department of Economic and Community Development shall encourage, within the state or in association with other states, or both, participation in, and promotion, development, acceptance and appreciation of, artistic and cultural activities that shall include, but are not limited to, music, theater, dance, painting, sculpture, architecture, literature, films and allied arts and crafts and to this end shall have the following powers: (1) To join or contract with consultants, private patrons, individual artists and ensembles and with institutions, local sponsoring organizations and professional organizations; (2) to enter into contracts to provide grants, loans or advances to individuals, organizations, or institutions, public or private, that are engaged in or plan to engage in artistic and cultural programs or activities within the state, or that are engaged in or plan to engage in the promotion, development, or encouragement of artistic and cultural programs or activities within the state; (3) to accept, hold and administer, on behalf of the department, in accordance with the provisions of sections 4-28, 4-31, 4-31a and 4b-22, real property, personal property, securities, other choses in action and moneys, or any interest therein, and income therefrom, either absolutely or in trust, for any purpose of the department. The department may acquire or receive such property or money for its purposes by the acceptance of state or federal or public or private loans, contributions, gifts, grants, donations, bequests or devises, and the department shall deposit or credit the same in the culture and tourism account established under section 10-395; (4) to establish a nonprofit foundation for the purpose of raising funds from private sources to encourage, within the state or in association with other states, or both, participation in, and promotion, development, acceptance and appreciation of, artistic and cultural activities that shall include, but are not limited to, music, theater, dance, painting, sculpture, architecture, literature, films, heritage, historic preservation, humanities and allied arts and crafts. All funds received by the foundation shall be held in the manner prescribed by sections 4-37e to 4-37j, inclusive; and (5) to perform such other acts as may be necessary or appropriate to carry out the objectives and purposes of the department. The General Assembly declares that all activities undertaken in carrying out the policies set forth in this chapter shall be directed toward encouraging and assisting, rather than in any way limiting, the freedom of artistic expression that is essential for the well-being of the arts. Said department shall maintain a survey of public and private facilities engaged within the state in artistic and cultural activities and determine the needs of the citizens of this state and the methods by which existing resources may be utilized, or new resources developed, to fulfill these needs. The department shall maintain a register of Connecticut artists. The name, town of residence and artistic medium of any such artist residing in Connecticut shall be entered in the register by the department upon the artist's request.

(February, 1965, P.A. 579, S. 3; 1967, P.A. 155, S. 1; P.A. 74-210, S. 1; P.A. 78-187, S. 2, 10; P.A. 85-267; P.A. 99-91; P.A. 00-66, S. 28; June 30 Sp. Sess. 03-6, S. 220; P.A. 04-20, S. 2; 04-205, S. 5, 8; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 04-2, S. 30; P.A. 11-48, S. 105.)
History: 1967 act allowed commission to contract with individuals, ensembles, and local sponsoring organizations in addition to private patrons, institutions and professional organizations; P.A. 74-210 allowed commission to promote arts through association with other states and to contract with consultants; P.A. 78-187 expanded powers re contracts, administration of assets and other actions in new Subdivs. (2) to (4); P.A. 85-267 added provisions re commission's duty to maintain a register of Connecticut artists; P.A. 99-91 added new Subdiv. (4) giving commission power to establish nonprofit foundation and renumbered former Subdiv. (4) as Subdiv. (5); P.A. 00-66 made technical changes; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6 amended section to substitute Connecticut Commission on Arts, Tourism, Culture, History and Film for State Commission on the Arts, to add provision re arts activities and to designate Connecticut Commission on Arts, Tourism, Culture, History and Film Fund instead of General Fund, as recipient of money or property acquired or received by commission, effective August 20, 2003; P.A. 04-20 made technical changes, effective April 16, 2004; P.A. 04-205 added “heritage”, “historic preservation”, and “humanities” to the list of cultural matters that the commission is empowered to promote, effective June 3, 2004, and, effective on that date, with May Sp. Sess. P.A. 04-2, effective May 12, 2004, also replaced Connecticut Commission on Arts, Tourism, Culture, History and Film with Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism; Sec. 10-370 transferred to Sec. 10-400 in 2005; P.A. 11-48 replaced “Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism” with “Department of Economic and Community Development”, replaced “commission” with “department” and replaced “Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism account” with “culture and tourism account”, effective July 1, 2011.

Structure Connecticut General Statutes