Home Nonprofit & Education Art & Culture R.I. State Council on the Arts awards $2.75M in grants to 17...

R.I. State Council on the Arts awards $2.75M in grants to 17 organizations

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PBN Staff

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01/16/2026

R.I. State Council on the Arts — THE R.I. STATE COUNCIL on the Arts has awarded $2.75 million to 17 arts and cultural organizations across the state.

WARWICK – A total of $2.75 million in matching grants has been awarded to 17 arts and cultural organizations across the state, the R.I. State Council on the Arts announced Friday. The grants are funded by a Cultural Arts and Economy Grant Program bond that voters approved in 2024. The grants, the arts council said,

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WARWICK – A total of $2.75 million in matching grants has been awarded to 17 arts and cultural organizations across the state, the R.I. State Council on the Arts announced Friday. The grants are funded by a Cultural Arts and Economy Grant Program bond that voters approved in 2024. The grants, the arts council said, will fund critical capital projects at public and nonprofit arts and performance venues, museums and cultural centers statewide. The funding will also enhance accessibility, bring facilities into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, update building and fire codes, improve energy efficiency and expand the organizations’ capacity to serve their communities. “When we invest in the arts, we’re investing in jobs, tourism, education and the vitality of our cities and towns,” said Gov. Daniel J. McKee. “Making cultural facilities more modern and accessible positions them for long-term success and makes a real difference in their communities. I’m proud to see the results of what Rhode Islanders made possible when they voted to support this bond. Grantees are:

Capeverdean American Community Development in Pawtucket: $500,000 to support modernization of core systems in the organization's two-story building in downtown Pawtucket.
The Sandra Feinstein-Gamm Theatre in Warwick: $331,652 for planned facility improvements that will better serve the theater’s artists, audiences and community by dedicating lab space for its recently announced new play development program and growing its education and community engagement programs.
Friends of Linden Place in Bristol: $331,280 to address the problem of water infiltration caused by heavy rain; the organization will replace the roofs on each of its three buildings – the 1810 Mansion, the circa 1906 ballroom and the circa 1850 carriage house, which houses the Bristol Art Museum.
Southside Cultural Center of Rhode Island in Providence: $250,000 for the installation of an elevator that will enable the center to increase capacity, as well as develop and produce accessible programing.
Newport Art Museum in Newport: $211,841 for improvements to the Griswold House that will remove barriers to access, protect collections and historic architecture, expand exhibition capacity, improve comfort for visitors, staff and artists, and reduce energy use and operating costs.
Preserve Rhode Island for the Lippitt House Museum in Providence: $200,000 to address dire exterior restoration to the Lippitt House, which has been designated as a National Historic Landmark and is an example of 19th-century Victorian design and craftsmanship.
South County Art Association in South Kingstown: $200,000 for the preservation and adaptive reuse of the John Russell House in the village of Kingston, including new classrooms, studios and galleries, expanded parking and outdoor programming, and ADA-compliant accessibility.
Newport Historical Society in Newport: $165,366 to upgrade the circa 1697 Wanton-Lyman-Hazard House with an ADA-compliant ramp and fully accessible new entrance to prepare for the 2026 grand reopening as the Edward W. Kane and Martha J. Wallace Center for Black History.
DownCity Design in Providence: $100,000 to replace the undersized heating, ventilation and air conditioning equipment with highly efficient equipment and properly engineered systems, ensuring students can learn and create year-round in a comfortably controlled temperature setting.
La Farge Restoration Fund at Newport Congregational Church in Newport: $100,000 to collaborate with the Newport fire chief and specialized consultants to install a fire prevention system in the historic former sanctuary and adjacent parish hall. The system will adhere to National Park Service guidelines for historic structures during installation and take into consideration the fragility of the existing architectural art surfaces and infrastructure issues such as boosted water pressure, new wiring and engineering.
The Greenwich Odeum in East Greenwich: $100,000 to install a new LED-lit marquee.
The Granite Theatre in Westerly: $92,522 to replace and upgrade outdated stage lights to energy efficient LEDs, as well as the light board and necessary electrical work to ensure safety and compliance.
Oasis International in Providence: $70,000 to install an air conditioning and heating system, renovate the bathroom and kitchen areas, relocate the electrical system and complete painting throughout the space.
Riverzedge Arts Project in Woonsocket: $44,240 to replace its rusted exterior doors, as well as upgrades to two sets of existing fire-rated interior entryway/lobby double doors.
Newport Classical in Newport: $32,860 to renovate the bathrooms in the Recital Hall so they are ADA-compliant, in addition to increasing capacity, easing congestion and improving the customer experience.
Artists' Exchange in Cranston: $14,125 to improve the air quality of the lower-level studios through heating, ventilation and air conditioning work, including high efficiency particulate air, or HEPA, filtration and ventilation for the equipment for ceramics.
South County Museum in Narragansett: $3,200 to replace rotted porches, ramps and doors to both its Icehouse Studio and Letterpress House.