PROVIDENCE – More than $4.6 million in state cultural facilities grants and state preservation grants to 38 recipients were jointly announced by the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts and the Rhode Island Historical & Preservation Commission Tuesday at the Newport Art Museum.
“Our cultural infrastructure is critically important to our state’s economy,” said Randall Rosenbaum, RISCA executive director, in a statement. The facilities “serve Rhode Islanders, attract visitors to our state, and contribute to the local economy in many significant ways.”
Recipients represent 14 cities and towns across the Ocean State and include performance venues, museums, cultural art centers and public historic sites. Grants to cultural facilities ranged in size from $300,000 (for the Sandra Feinstein-Gamm Theatre, in the process of moving to Warwick, and The Steel Yard in Providence) to $5,279 to the South County Art Association in South Kingstown. Preservation grants started at $150,000 (given to 10 organizations) and went down to $8,000 for the Smithfield Preservation Society.
Twenty-one state cultural facilities grants totaled $2,579,404; among the organizations receiving grants were:
- Sandra Feinstein-Gamm Theatre (Warwick): $300,000
- The Steel Yard (Providence): $300,000
- The Greenwich Odeum (East Greenwich): $200,000
- Museum of Art, Rhode Island School of Design (Providence): $200,000
- WaterFire Providence (Providence): $200,000
- Dirt Palace Public Projects (Providence): $175,000
- 2nd Story Theatre (Warren): $150,000
- Old Slater Mill Association (Pawtucket): $100,000
- Lippitt House Museum (Providence): $100,000
- Colonial Theatre School Inc. (Westerly): $75,000
- The Contemporary Theater Company (South Kingstown): $75,000
- Everett (Providence): $75,000
- The Players (Providence): $75,000
- Wilbury Theatre Group: $75,000
In total, 20 state preservation grants came to $2,024,470 and included:
- Bristol Maritime Center (Bristol): $150,000
- Congdon Street Baptist Church (Providence): $150,000
- Edward King House Senior Center (Newport): $150,000
- Fort Adams (Newport): $150,000
- International Tennis Hall of Fame (Newport): $150,000
- Lippitt House Museum (Providence): $150,000
- Music Mansion (Providence): $150,000
- Newport Art Museum and Art Association (Newport): $150,000
- Newport Congregational Church (Newport): $150,000
- Rosecliff (Newport): $150,000
- Providence Athenaeum (Providence): $121,961
- Redwood Library and Athenaeum (Newport): $106,700
- Bristol Historical & Preservation Society (Bristol): $83,427
Three organizations – Newport Art Museum and Art Association, Lippitt House Museum, South County Art Association – each received a state preservation and cultural facilities grant.
Together, the projects represent $22,453,724 worth of construction activity.
“Rhode Island’s cultural and arts communities intersect with our historic community in many places,” said Jeffrey Emidy, acting executive director of the R.I. Historical Preservation & Heritage Commission, in prepared remarks. “Historic sites are the homes of large, well-known institutions and small, local organizations. The investment in these sites and institutions pays dividends to the state in many ways.”
Emily Gowdey-Backus is a staff writer for PBN. You can follow her on Twitter @FlashGowdey or contact her via email, gowdey-backus@pbn.com.
