Pero Pushes For Arts Collaboration, Regional Cooperation

Promoting and strengthening the arts community is a key way to make New London a destination point, mayoral candidate Rob Pero said on Thursday at Pero was speaking at the second in a series of informational forums he is holding during his campaign.

“It’s not the most glamorous issue, but down the line, if the decisions are right, it will move New London forward in many ways,” he said.

Pero said one of the best ways to support the arts scene would be to establish a . He said New London can take a leading role in cooperation among different communities and organizations in southeastern Connecticut, strengthening the destination value of the city and making it more attractive for state funding for the arts.

This collaboration, he said, would include the city working with different arts groups in the city. Pero said tax incentives and improvement of infrastructure could be used to revitalize first floor spaces in the downtown area for art-related activities, along with affordable second floor units. He said the city can also establish partnerships with galleries and cultural sites to increase arts education in the city’s youth, such as a city program funded through the private sector to have low-income families attend Broadway shows at the . Pero said the city should also continue to promote the use of Parade Plaza for community events and support the New London Art Night on the first Friday of each month. Bi-monthly meetings with the city’s arts, historic, and business organizations would help to strengthen the ties between the various groups, he said.

Pero said the arts initiatives could go hand in hand with other improvements to make the city a place for families seeking to spend a day out. This plan would create kayak venues in three locations, establish shuttle boats to visit waterfront points in New London and Groton, and work towards setting up a Coast Guard museum at and bringing weekend Shoreline East trains to the city.

“We’ve already shown in New London that we have riders early in the morning,” he said. “We need to show that we need those trains on the weekend.”

For funding, Pero said he would encourage incentives to fund the arts community from the private sector. However, he said a “mayor’s ball” could also be used to recognize local artists and raise funds.

“Certainly you have to have a person who’s at the helm who wants to do it, and who believes in it,” he said.