Andre Rochester to Speak On “Why Art Matters – 10 Ways Art Benefits Your Community”

West Hartford, CT - Andre Rochester, fine artist, curator, and arts advocate from the Greater Hartford region, will be speaking on “Why Art Matters – 10 Ways Art Benefits Your Community” on April 25, 2024 at 6 PM at the Bishop’s Corner Senior Center at 15 Starkel Road in West Hartford.
 
“Engagement with the arts can help everything from challenging inequities within a community to providing economic opportunities and boosting our health,: Stated Rochester.  “West Hartford is a wonderful community, with an engaged arts and culture community, that can do even more in engaging, promoting and benefiting from the arts.”
 
The event is sponsored by the Bishops Corner Neighborhood Association, Bishops Corner Senior Center and the West Hartford Commission of the Arts. 
 
The event is free to attend and light refreshments will be served. Attendees may register in advance by contacting the Bishops Corner Senior Center at 860-561-7583.  Walk-ins are also welcome at the event.
 
“We are so grateful to have voice such as Andre’s speak to us about the critical importance of art in our community,” stated Signe Rogalski, local arts advocate and member of the Bishop’s Corner Neighborhood Association. “From bringing people together, improving our quality of life and enhancing economic vitality, the arts can and must be an integral part of our community.”
 
Andre is the Program Manager at The 224 EcoSpace, where he curates exhibits and oversees execution of arts events and programs, including the Artists of Color Accelerate Fellowship. He is also the Art Curator at UConn Health Center, responsible for managing and expanding a collection of over 2500 works of art across multiple facilities and organizing exhibits in the Celeste LeWitt Gallery.
 
Andre also coaches emerging artists, encouraging them to develop their craft with a focus on professionalism and business acumen. He believes that with every step forward, we must make room for others to join us. Learn more about Andre’s coaching and consulting at www.rochestercoaching.com.