PROVIDENCE – The R.I. State Council on the Arts has awarded $878,942 to 156 organizations, individuals and projects, the council announced Monday.
The grants are supported by the R.I. General Assembly, federal funds through the National Endowment for the Arts and matches from businesses and individuals, as well as earned income from ticket sales and admissions.
The grants are designed to fund arts and culture organizations, arts education programs, teaching artists in health care and education, individual artists, culture workers and other related community projects.
“This essential support to artists, arts educators and nonprofits is timely, and we certainly welcome it as the hard-hit arts and culture sector recovers throughout the state,” Gov. Daniel J. McKee said in a statement. “As we work toward returning this key economic driver to pre-pandemic levels safer, better and stronger, these grants remind us to celebrate the state’s creativity and the sector’s importance to the cultural, educational, health and well-being of Rhode Islanders.”
The council said that 52 of the grants went to individual artists.
Grants ranged from $500 to $90,140, the largest of which was granted to Trinity Repertory Company for general operating support. The second-largest grant was for the Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra & Music School at $72,640.
Other grants over $25,000 included:
- Museum of Art, Rhode Island School of Design: $68,728
- AS220: $38,488
- Sandra Feinstein-Gamm Theatre: $27,500
The grants were the first from the council in fiscal year 2022. Grant applications for the council’s second round will open on Aug. 1, with a deadline of Oct. 1.
“As we recover from these difficult times, it is critically important to support our arts and culture community, which was one of the first affected by the pandemic and one of the last to recover,” stated RISCA Executive Director Randall Rosenbaum. “This cycle is the most diverse and equitable that we have seen to date, and the grants include an artist or arts and culture organizations in nearly every city and town.”
