Thousands of artists will be employed in the coming year in projects supported by grants from the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts, according to an announcement released by the State Arts Council today about its first round of grant awards for the 2014-2015 season. These grants, funded through an appropriation from Governor Chafee and the Rhode Island General Assembly and with federal funds from the National Endowment for the Arts, support projects by individual artists, arts organizations, schools and educational organizations in communities throughout the state.
The State Arts Council awarded a total of $748,665 to 126 non-profit organizations, schools and individuals for art and arts programming across Rhode Island in this latest round of grants. It received 265 applications from artists, organizations and schools throughout the state. Grants ranged in size from $92,500 to Trinity Repertory Company for operating support, to $500 for several small community-based projects throughout the state.
In announcing the awards, State Arts Council director Randall Rosenbaum underscored the impact of these grants on the Rhode Island economy. "Our grantees predict that over 32,000 artists are employed with support from these grants, and that over 1.46 million Rhode Islanders and visitors to our state benefit from these projects. This demonstrates a great return on a very tiny investment from state and federal resources." Rosenbaum went on to express his appreciation to Governor Chafee and the Rhode Island General Assembly for their support of these programs, and for their investment in "the quality of life, the education of our young, and the vitality of our economy" that these arts programs provide.
The grant awards include the following:
$40,000 to 17 individual artists for programs including a grant to artist Mark Cutler to work with individuals with developmental disabilities to create a unique musical accompaniment for a documentary film about the former Ladd School in Exeter, RI, and a grant to artist Beth Nixon to work with artists and community groups to lead workshops and create puppets, banners, flags and other items to use as part of PRONK – the Providence Honk Parade - in October 2014.
$34,623 to 19 non-profit organizations for support of projects like a free outdoor Klezmer Concert in honor of the 375th year of the founding of Newport hosted by the Touro Synagogue Foundation, the Healing Arts program at Bradley Hospital, and the Black Lavender Experience 2015 residency with Daniel Alexander Jones at Brown University's Rites and Reason Theatre.
$34,623 to 19 non-profit organizations for support of projects like a free outdoor Klezmer Concert in honor of the 375th year of the founding of Newport hosted by the Touro Synagogue Foundation, the Healing Arts program at Bradley Hospital, and the Black Lavender Experience 2015 residency with Daniel Alexander Jones at Brown University's Rites and Reason Theatre.
$596,536 in general operating support to 57 arts and cultural organizations across Rhode Island, including Community MusicWorks in Providence, the Chorus of Westerly, Riverzedge Arts Project in Woonsocket, and Hera Gallery in Wakefield.
For a complete list of grant recipients, visit the Arts Council's website at http://www.arts.ri.gov/grants/2015-cycle1.pdf.
RISCA also awarded a total of $47,000 to 15 artists receiving Fellowships and Fellowship Merit Awards in Crafts, Fiction, Film & Video, Folk Arts, Photography, Play/Screenwriting, Poetry, and Three-Dimensional Art. To learn more about the Fellowship recipients, visit http://www.arts.ri.gov/individuals/fellowships15.php.
About the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts
The Rhode Island State Council on the Arts is a state agency, supported by appropriations from the Rhode Island General Assembly and grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. RISCA provides grants, technical assistance and staff support to arts organizations and artists, schools, community centers, social service organizations and local governments to bring the arts into the lives of Rhode Islanders.