Skip to main content
Skip to main content
Updated 11/2/2023

UNIVERSITY OF SAINT JOSEPH - THE AUTORINO CENTER

  • C

    CT

Institution/Business Type: Arts Center

The Autorino Center for the Arts and Humanities at the University of Saint Joseph in West Hartford, CT opened in 2001. The Center hosts an array of University and community events year round, and presents an annual performing arts series featuring dance, music, theatre, film, and special programs in its 364 seat Hoffman Auditorium. The auditorium and the University Art Gallery are located in the Bruyette Athenaeum, which was featured as an outstanding building in American School and University Magazine. The Art Gallery presents a series of annual exhibitions mounted from the University's distinguished collection, works on loan, and touring programs. The Gallery is open prior to events and at intermissions. The Center is the recipient of the Noah Webster Award for "Extraordinary Commitment to the Community" from the West Hartford Chamber of Commerce, citing the Center's hosting of events of 150 greater Hartford organizations since 2001; and, the Distinguished Achievement in Dance Award from the Connecticut Dance Alliance for its role as a major Connecticut dance venue, hosting the annual "5 X 5 Dance Festival," which is in its 15th year, for professional and collegiate companies, serving as the performance home for several regional companies, presenting of major out of state dance companies, and commitment to dancers with disabilities. The Autorino Center is host to over 280 university activities each academic year. During our 2016-2017 season the Center organized and presented the first annual American Roots Festival, a celebration of the diversity of American heritage through folk and blues music, theater, break dancing, and more. The Autorino Center won first place for Best University/College Arts Venue in CT NOW’s Best of Hartford Readers’ Poll for 2018.The Center presents annual Gospel, Irish, and folk music festivals, and an outdoor summer Shakespeare festival.

Find Me

Steve Raider-Ginsburg
Job Title: Director
Phone: (860) 231-5529
Fax: (860) 231-6719
Address:
1678 ASYLUM AVENUE
West Hartford, CT 06117-2791

Social Media:

Additional Content:

About

Overview

Institution/Business Type:

Arts Center

Legal Status:

Nonprofit - Embedded in non-cultural private organization

Parent Organization:

University of Saint Joseph

Year Founded:

2001

Overview

Institution/Business Type:

Arts Center

Legal Status:

Nonprofit - Embedded in non-cultural private organization

Parent Organization:

University of Saint Joseph

Year Founded:

2001

Disciplines

Primary Discipline:

Multi-Disciplinary

Additional Disciplines:

  • Multi-Disciplinary

Activities and Services

Activities and Services:

  • Creation of a Work of Art (Including Commissions)
  • Venue Rental
  • Residency - In School
  • Workshops / Demonstrations / Master Class
  • Residency - Production / Development
  • Film Showings
  • Performance / Concert / Reading
  • Exhibitions
Seasons Active: spring, summer, fall, winter
Events Per Year: 125

Communities

Populations Engaged:

  • Adults
  • Elders
  • General Public
  • Immigrant Populations
  • People with Disabilities
  • School Groups

Languages Available:

  • American Sign Language
  • Spanish

Geographic Reach:

  • Town / City
  • State

Accessibility of Services

Accessibility of Services:

  • Access accommodations for people who use a wheelchair and have limited mobility
  • Access accommodations for people who are blind, partially sighted, and have low vision
  • Access accommodations for people who are Deaf and hard-of-hearing

The Center's Bruyette Athenaeum and Hoffman Auditorium are in compliance with the requirements of the American Disabilities Act. Handicap Parking locations, including van spaces, are adjacent to the building and within three additional parking areas supporting Center visitors. The 364 seat Hoffman Auditorium includes 9 wheel chair spaces, in center seating section, with capability to increase to 21 wheel chair spaces.

Media Gallery

I Have Worked With

Annual 5x5 Dance Festival

Date: 11/2018-11/2018

The annual 5 X 5 Dance Festival was established in 2003 with participation from the Greater Hartford Dance Community.  The Center and University Dance Program brought together a group of professional dance company directors to develop a unique Connecticut festival that offered opportunities for dance companies to perform more sustained works than offered in the contraints of other five minute festival parameters.  The new festival was named "5 X 5" originally for five works each to be performed by a different Connecticut dance company.  The 5 X 5 event title, however, has evolved to signify performances by five Connecticut professional companies and five Connecticut collegiate companies during the annual October weekend.  The 5 X 5 Dance Festival has evolved over its first decade to become a major anticipated event in the Connecticut dance season. The addition of collegiate dance ensembles has not only allowed the festival to incorporate a variety of skill levels, but also has led to a mentorship program through which the works of college dancers are guided by professional dancers.  To expand its impact upon dance audiences, he festival has also included guest companies that represent original approaches to dance or specific dance genres and cultures.  An audience conversation with choreographers and dancers is a feature of the festival performances.  The 5 X 5 festival weekend also includes master classes, discussions, films, and site-specific performances for festival participants that are also open to the public.  As a complement to the festival's perspective, the Center's annual Bruyette Athenaeum Performing Arts Series includes dance performances from nationally and internationally known dance companies.      

Guitar Under the Stars

Date: 09/2018-09/2018

Founded in 1993 by classical guitarist Daniel Salazar, Jr., the stars backdrop this outdoor concert featuring the beautiful sounds of guitar and the music of Salazar’s Latin American and Spanish heritage. This year, an impressive group of international musicians and the Festival Orchestra Ensemble performed with Salazar. The latter was comprised of top players from Connecticut’s own Hartford Symphony. Talented young musicians from The Hartt Community Division Guitar Quartet were also present in a pre-concert performance. 

Capital Classics Theatre Company

Date: 07/2018-07/2018

The Center collaborated with the Capital Classics Theatre Company, founded in1991, to establish an annual summer Shakespeare Festival.   Since 2004, performances have been presented in the Center Garden Thursday through Sunday evenings during the last weekend of July and first two weekends of August.  Through the years, the Garden has been configured in traditional proscenium, thrust, and arena  stage settings for the Bard's comedies, histories, and fantasies. Production casts have featured members of Capital Classics, actors from throughout Connecticut and the Northeast, as well as theatre students from several universities.  The Festival performaces are augmented in the community by visiting scholar presentations, workshops, demonstrations, and discussions with the directors and actors.  Audiences bring their lawn chairs, blankets, and picnic dinners to enjoy during the performances.  Hoffman Auditorium serves as the rain location, though audiences may return on another evening if there is inclement weather.  The annual Festival has proven to be among the most successful and popular of the Center's programs.  

Affiliations and Accomplishments

Professional Associations

Professional Associations:

  • Association of Performing Arts Presenters (APAP)
  • Consortium of Eastern Regional Theatres, Inc. (ConsERT)
  • New England Presenters (NEP)

Professional Associations

Professional Associations:

  • Association of Performing Arts Presenters (APAP)
  • Consortium of Eastern Regional Theatres, Inc. (ConsERT)
  • New England Presenters (NEP)

Awards

Awards:

  • 1. Noah Webster Award for "Extraordinary Commitment to Community"--West Hartford Chamber of Commerce
  • 2. Distinguished Achievement in Dance Award for role as dance venue, programming, and advocacy--Connecticut Dance Alliance
  • 3. Connecticut General Assembly Citation for "Service as a valued cultural resource for Connecticut"
  • 4. 10th Anniversary Proclamation, Mayor of West Hartford, citing "distinguished annual performing arts series"
  • 5. Angel Award for "Commitment to Arts and Education"--Ballet Theatre Company of West Hartford
  • 6. Official Statement by Governor Dannel Malloy honoring 10th Anniversary of National Dance Institute Partnership, citing the program's "valuable learning experiences about other people, cultures, and aspects of life"
  • 7. Best University/College Arts Venue in CT NOW’s Best of Hartford Readers’ Poll 2018

Special Designations

Special Designations:

  • NEFA Grant Recipient

Venues for Rent/Use

The Autorino Center
Venue Address: 1678 Asylum Avenue West Hartford, CT 06117
Venue Phone: 860-231-5528
Venue Type: Theater
Venue Fee Range Minimum: $575
Venue Fee Range Maximum: $3225
Venue Capacity: 364
Venue Accessibility: Access accommodations for people who are blind, partially sighted, and have low vision. Access accommodations for people who are deaf and hard-of-hearing. Facility is physically accessible (such as parking, entrances, accessible restrooms, seating, backstage).
Stage Details: Proscenium Theater
Venue Seasons: Spring, Summer, Winter, Fall
Venue Features: Climate Control, Dance Floor, Dressing Room(s), Green Room, Light System / Track Lighting, Loading Dock, Movie Screen / Projection Capabilities, Piano, Security, Sound System, WiFi
Trained Crew Available: Yes
Union Crew Available: No
Additional Comments: *Contact Assistant Director, Darcie Shultz @ 860-231-5528 for more information on rental rates.
Autorino Center Garden
Venue Address: 1678 Asylum Avenue West Hartford, CT 06117-2791
Venue Phone: (860) 231-5529
Venue Type: Park
Venue Capacity: 300
Venue Accessibility: Facility is physically accessible (such as parking, entrances, accessible restrooms, seating, backstage).
Stage Details: Proscenium Theater, Theater in the Round, Thrust Stage
Venue Seasons: Spring, Summer, Fall
Venue Features: Dressing Room(s), Green Room, Security
Trained Crew Available: Yes
Union Crew Available: No
Additional Comments: The Garden is an outdoor space with multiple set-up options. Technical support must be contracted separately.