Hartford Mayor Arunan Arulampalam has chosen someone deeply familiar with Hartford’s arts scene to lead his newly created Office of Arts, Culture and Entertainment.
Taneisha Duggan, 43, nurtured her acting bug as a Middletown teenager attending the Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts magnet school. Professionally, she has worked as an actress, organizer and promoter with various theater venues in Hartford and New York.
For Duggan, the new role is partially an opportunity to showcase Hartford’s contribution as a producer of, and home to, talented artists like CT Public Radio producer and host Chion Wolf, actors Chinaza Uche and Caitlin Zoz (from Apple TVs “Silo”), and others.
“For me, the possibility of holding this office and sharing the immense depth of our arts and culture ecosystem is really key,” Duggan said.
Duggan’s tasks include promoting artists and venues and organizing and coordinating Hartford events and offerings. She will also try to maximize Hartford’s appeal, while improving the accessibility of arts to locals.
In 2024, Duggan served on a transition committee that advised then-newly elected Hartford Mayor Arunan Arulampalam on the city’s arts and culture needs and assets. Reviving a defunct arts and tourism office in City Hall was among the top priorities of that committee.
Three members of the arts and culture transition committee and two city staff members vetted 78 candidates for the position and ultimately recommended Duggan.
“Taneisha has been a driving force in Hartford’s creative community for decades,” Arulampalam said. “Her passion for the arts, deep connections within the community, and dedication to shaping the future of Hartford’s arts landscape make her the ideal leader for the Office of Arts, Culture and Entertainment. This office will play a critical role in showcasing Hartford’s rich cultural assets, drawing visitors and fostering opportunities for local artists to thrive.”
Duggan starts with a salary of $115,000, in an office to be funded through an agreement with Goodworks Entertainment. The deal includes a five-year rental agreement that will allow Goodworks Entertainment to use Bushnell Park for its Capital Groove festival; a portion of ticket sales will help fund the arts office.
For now, Duggan will be the sole employee of the office and responsible for all of its output.
Duggan said her focus early on will be meeting with artists, venue operators and other stakeholders throughout the city, aiming to create connections that will drive cooperative efforts. Those stakeholders will include restaurant owners, retailers and service providers who contribute to the experience for visitors to the city, she said.
Duggan earned a fine arts bachelor’s degree at the State University of New York at Purchase. After college, she went directly into marketing for the American Girl Place, an upscale doll store in New York. She worked there for several years but continued acting through Hartford Stage and other venues.
She pursued acting full-time in her mid-20s before the allure of a steady paycheck drew her to take a full-time job with the HartBeat Ensemble as director of audience engagement.
Duggan subsequently worked in the business office and as a producer with TheaterWorks. There, she spearheaded activities to engage young adults, including block parties, attempting to better connect the venue with the rest of the downtown Hartford community. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Duggan coordinated a “living room” series to engage people stuck in isolation at home.
In 2022, Duggan took a mostly remote job as an associate producer with Octopus Theatricals, a New York-based theatrical production company. She held that position until she was selected to run the Hartford office.
