Public Art

Ken Kahn is the former executive director of the Greater Hartford Arts Council, a non-profit organization that raises funds for the arts and heritage in central Connecticut.  It also produces arts and cultural events.

Hartford has an impressive inventory of monuments, sculptures, statues and other public art, much from the 19th century.  But, by the time Ken arrived in the late 1990s, budget pressures had all but eliminated new public art projects.  Ken breathed life into the effort, persuading and cajoling city and state officials, corporate leaders and private philanthropists to fund new art projects.  About 50 new pieces of public art in the past decade are Ken's legacy.

Ken is shown in the Ancient Burying Ground.  Behind him is a statue of one of Hartford's founders.  Ken was instrumental in raising funds for the statue as well as funds to clean up, restore and maintain the Ancient Burying Ground.