hartFEAST.

The name brings me back to childhood when I watched Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom more than a child probably should. I was horrified by the scene of a man having his heart ripped from his chest, yet I watched it every time.

The hartFEAST on November 11, in spite of its name, will be nothing like that. Instead of destruction, this is about creation. This is the first in a monthly series of events sponsored by the Center Without Walls.

A press release sent by Councilperson Cotto states:

The concept of FEAST (Funding Emerging Art with Sustainable Tactics) got its start in Brooklyn and has spread throughout the nation.  It is a recurring public dinner designed to use community-driven financial support to democratically fund new and emerging community builders. At each hartFEAST, participants pay a sliding-scale entrance fee for which they receive a supper and a ballot. Diners vote on a variety of community building & art projects and at the end of the night, the project with the most votes is awarded funds to produce the project.

This seems like a refreshing alternative to the typically opaque process used for awarding grants.

The evening’s meal will also be an alternative to the norm. Dinner will be created by Four Fields Farm, using additional ingredients from Holcomb Farm CSA, Cato Corner Farm, Griffin Farmstead, and the newly established Hartford Baking Company. String Theorie will provide entertainment for the evening.

This event starts at seven in the Sacred Heart Church basement located at 49 Winthrop Street. The suggested entry fee is $15, though it is noted that this is a flexible number and people can pay less money if they can not afford the fifteen dollars.