RISCA awards $3.8M in grants for arts, culture, heritage, public historic sites

THE LOOF CAROUSEL, in East Providence's Riverside section, received a $69,652 capital grant from the R.I. State Council on the Arts. / COURTESY CITY OF EAST PROVIDENCE
THE LOOF CAROUSEL, in East Providence's Riverside section, received a $69,652 capital grant from the R.I. State Council on the Arts. / COURTESY CITY OF EAST PROVIDENCE

PROVIDENCE – Thirty-three capital grants encompassing as many projects in 17 Rhode Island cities and towns totaling $3.8 million were awarded by the R.I. State Council on the Arts in partnership with the R.I. Historical Preservation & Heritage Commission on Thursday.

“Rhode Island is recognized nationally as a leader in historic preservation and the arts,” said Edward F. Sanderson, executive director of RIHPHC in prepared remarks. “These state grants are investments that build on our strengths.”

Historic sites are “critically important” to the Rhode Island economy as they attract visitors to the Ocean State, added Randall Rosenbaum, RISCA executive director, in a statement.

The capital grants stem from Creative and Cultural Economy Bonds, which appropriated $5 million in state preservation grants and $6.5 million in cultural facilities grants, and were approved by more than 60 percent of Rhode Island voters in September 2014. Ranging in amount from $8,659 to $300,000, they will be administered jointly by RIHPHC and RISCA.

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As part of the competitive program, applicants were required to provide matching funds for their projects.

Successful applicants for state preservation grants totaled $1,279,464 and are as follows:

  • Coggeshall Farm Museum, Bristol ($29,452)
  • Friends of Linden Place, Bristol ($58,616)
  • Town of Coventry for Read Schoolhouse ($26,404)
  • Town of East Greenwich for East Greenwich Town Hall ($150,000)
  • Varnum Continentals for Varnum Memorial Armory, East Greenwich ($43,450)
  • City of East Providence for Crescent Park Looff Carousel ($69,652)
  • Foster Preservation Society for Nehemiah Angell Barn, Foster ($19,433)
  • Beavertail Lighthouse Museum Association, Jamestown ($46,475)
  • R.I. Department of Environmental Management for Fort Adams Visitors Center, Newport ($109,091)
  • Town of North Smithfield for Kendall Dean School($150,000)
  • Pawtucket Public Library, Pawtucket
  • Providence Parks Department for Betsey Williams Cottage, ($150,000)
  • Providence Performing Arts Center ($150,000)
  • Memorial + Library Association of Westerly for Wilcox Park Bandstand ($15,488)
  • American-French Genealogical Society/Veterans Memorial Museum, Woonsocket ($111,403)

The 18 selected applicants for state cultural facilities grants, which totaled $2,499,426 were:

  • Arts in Common, Bristol ($50,000)
  • Bristol Art Museum, Bristol ($20,000)
  • Artists’Exchange, Cranston ($85,000)
  • The Greenwich Odeum, East Greenwich ($195,000)
  • Wickford Art Association, North Kingstown ($98,715)
  • Mixed Magic Theatre and Cultural Events, Pawtucket ($50,000)
  • Sandra Feinstein-Gamm Theatre, Pawtucket ($211,500)
  • Common Fence Point Improvement Association, Portsmouth ($187,000)
  • Dirt Palace Public Projects, Providence ($250,000)
  • Educational Center for the Arts & Sciences, Providence ($8,659)
  • Everett, Providence ($100,000
  • Festival Ballet Providence ($59,552)
  • Providence Public Library ($200,000)
  • The Contemporary Theater Company, South Kingstown ($95,000)
  • Boys & Girls Clubs of Warwick ($100,000)
  • Ocean State Theatre Company, Warwick ($240,000)
  • The Arctic Playhouse, West Warwick ($300,000)
  • RiverzEdge Arts Project, Woonsocket ($249,000)

“We’re thrilled that State Preservation Grants will restore the visitors’ center at historic Fort Adams in Newport, the historic lighthouse complex at Beavertail in Jamestown and the historic Coggeshall Farmhouse in Colt State Park in Bristol,” said DEM Director Janet Coit. “Our state parks are treasured resources, and we extend thanks to the Rhode Island Historical Preservation and Heritage Commission and our partners at Coggeshall Farm Museum and Beavertail Lighthouse Museum Association for making these investments that will benefit Rhode Island families and visitors to our state.”

According to Rosenbaum, this is the second round of grant funding, resulting from the October 2016 deadline. The first round was awarded in January 2016 and the final round will be awarded in January 2018 following the final deadline next October.

“After that the funding that came out of the November 2014 bond initiative will have been distributed,” said Randall, and “we won’t be able to continue unless the program gets renewed by General Assembly and the governor. The good news is we’re already seeing significant impact from these programs as far as contributions to the economy.”

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