PROVIDENCE - The Rhode Island State Council on the Arts has been awarded a $77,500 national grant to expand creative‑aging arts programming for older adults, the agency announced Thursday.
The funding comes from a joint initiative of the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies and E.A. Michelson Philanthropy and will support a one‑time creative aging grant program offering sequential, skill‑based arts instruction for residents 55 and older. The program will be led by trained teaching artists and is scheduled to open Feb. 1, 2027, with an application deadline of April 1, 2027.
State officials said the investment will expand opportunities for older adults to participate in the arts while strengthening social connections and promoting emotional well‑being.
“On behalf of all Rhode Islanders, thank you to NASAA and E.A. Michelson Philanthropy for acknowledging our Arts Agency’s commitment to using the arts to improve our communities’ well‑being for older adults,” Gov. Daniel J. McKee said in the release.
The grant is part of a national effort to support aging populations through arts engagement. NASAA President and CEO Pam Breaux said the investment comes at a time when states are confronting rising health care needs.
“State arts agencies are now instrumental partners in addressing the most important challenges facing aging populations, including rising health care costs,” Breaux said. “The demand and need for this work will only increase.”
E.A. Michelson Philanthropy founder Ellen Michelson said the organization is “proud to partner with NASAA” to expand creative‑aging initiatives nationwide.
“We are delighted to see this initiative expanding arts programming for older adults, supporting more classes, residencies and sustained creative opportunities that help older adults learn, grow and connect,” she said.
RISCA Executive Director Todd Trebour noted that Rhode Island’s aging trends make the grant particularly timely.
“Rhode Island is aging faster than the United States as a whole, with 23 percent of residents over age 60 and the highest percentage of adults 85‑plus in New England,” Trebour said. “Abundant evidence shows that arts participation improves the emotional well‑being of older adults, supports good health, strengthens social bonds, and brings a heightened experience of purpose and joy to our lives as we mature.”
NASAA represents 56 state and jurisdictional arts councils and provides research, policy support and funding guidance for public arts initiatives. RISCA is funded through state appropriations and grants from the National Endowment for the Arts.
Veer Mudambi is the special projects editor at the Providence Business News. He can be reached at mudambi@pbn.com.
