Todd Trebour, Executive Director of R.I. State Council on the Arts:
On behalf of the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts (RISCA), we are thrilled that Rhode Island voters overwhelmingly approved ballot Question #5, which is the Cultural Arts and Economy Grant Program.
We want to thank Gov. McKee, House Speaker Shekarchi, and Senate President Ruggerio, the legislation sponsors, and all the members of the General Assembly for recognizing how important arts and culture are to our economy and the vitality of our communities.
Nonprofit cultural facilities provide spaces for arts education, community gathering, and arts and cultural programming. We know that the projects funded by this bond create statewide economic impact -- as ninety percent of the funds from the projects supported by the 2014/2021 cultural facilities bonds were spent in all 39 cities and towns.