History and Mission

The Hartt School Community Division is a comprehensive community arts school providing instruction in music and dance for individuals of all ages and experience levels. The mission of the Community Division is three-fold:

• To provide programs for talented young performing artists with career aspirations

• To serve pre-collegiate students in open admission programs in music and dance

• To inspire adults with programs in general music and dance

With locations in West Hartford, Hartford, Simsbury and Middletown, the Hartt Community Division serves students throughout Connecticut.

The Community Division was founded in 1920 by Julius Hartt and Moshe Paranov, and developed concurrently with the Hartt College of Music, now The Hartt School, which merged with the Hartford Art School and Hillyer College to create the University of Hartford in 1957.

The Hartt School Community Division is a comprehensive community arts school providing instruction in music and dance for individuals of all ages and experience levels. As a division of the nationally recognized Hartt School of the University of Hartford, the Community Division is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Pre-Collegiate Arts Schools. It is also an active member of the National Guild for Community Arts Education, and is viewed as a national model for community schools based on university campuses.