Bees Across New Britain Needs More Sponsors
By Robin Vinci | Editor at February 8, 2024 | 4:00 pm | Print
Stephen Hard, director of the Greater New Britain Art Alliance (GNBAA), said the group is working hard to get more sponsors for Bees Across New Britain.
“We are still short of sponsors and are working the phones. That’s what it takes and I was away and sick for most of January,” said Hard. “We are very close and I am confident we’ll get the number we need.”
Bees Across New Britain is a project similar to the Cow Parade done in West Hartford.
In 2008 West Hartford began the Cow Parade with life size cows scattered throughout their town. In 2017 New Britain began a similar venture with 6 foot Bees and hopes to have them done for this year.
The project is being done on a lesser scale than West Hartford because of funds.
The plan calls for artists to paint blank canvasses with their ideas. Craig Frederick has a small model of a Bee to be reproduced in the six foot fibreglass version by a firm from Nebraska.
The Bees will be placed in locations around the City, in neighborhoods and various locations. The Greater New Britain Arts Alliance (GNBAA) will put a call out to artists.
The Bee is a worker Bee with work boots to represent the workers of New Britain.
In the Spring of this year, the installation of the Bees will take place. In late Spring of 2018 Bees Across American Celebration and auction will take place.
Some ideas for Bees were mentioned as Hardware City Bee, Doctor Bee, Mechanic Bee, Attorney Bee, Teacher Bee, Worker Bee, Secretary Bee, Bookworm Bee, Dancing Bee, Theater Bee, Bar Bee, Ice Cream Bee, Realtor Bee and Historian Bee.
There will be at the least 25 Bees produced. More can be added if needed.
For $2,000 a Bee can be sponsored and at the end of the campaign it will be auctioned off as a fundraiser for the GNBAA or for $2,500 you can sponsor and keep the Bee.
“The sponsor can work with local artist to give a flair of their liking to design the Bee,” said Mayor Erin Stewart when the idea was first announced. “We are really thrilled about this. It is so exciting. We have been putting a big focus on public art. There is art across the community because of the partnerships we are forging. We have three active art galleries in City Hall. Beehive Bridge is a massive display of public art. All the sculptures on loan from the Museum of American Art are downtown and at Walnut Hill Park. Art is a way of life and also adds to quality of life. We think the Bees are another opportunity to improve the landscape across the City.”
Anyone interested in reserving a Bee should contact Hard at [email protected] or call the office at 860-832-8299.
