The Rhode Island State Council on the Arts (RISCA) announced today that applications are now open for selected arts and culture grant programs to organizations, arts educators, artists, folk and traditional artists, and arts and health projects. The deadline to submit a grant application is April 1 at 11:59 p.m.
RISCA staff members spent last summer and early fall holding public meetings with R.I.'s arts and culture community to update the state agency's applications and evaluation criteria. The purpose of the meetings was to ensure that applications are simpler and easier to use.
"After seeking much input from the community during in-person and online meetings, we proudly open our grant programs newly streamlined and simplified. We listened, answered questions, and heard your suggestions," said Todd Trebour, Executive Director of RISCA. "Because of your feedback, applying for a grant from RISCA is less time-consuming and easier to navigate. Rest assured our core values, which are to provide all Rhode Island residents with access to arts and culture programming, have stayed the same."
Grants are being offered in the following categories:
• Project Grants for Organizations offer support to arts and culture projects that are relevant and meaningful to our communities.
• Project Grants in Education support schools, nonprofit organizations, arts educators and teaching artists. Recipients engage students in rich and meaningful artistic experiences in dedicated learning environments.
• Folk and Traditional Arts Apprenticeships are designed to foster artistic skills between a mentor and an apprentice. The program creates an opportunity specifically for individuals who share a common cultural heritage.
• Folk and Traditional Arts Fellowships support individual artists who demonstrate the highest level of skill and accomplishments in their craft.
• Arts and Health Grants fund both non-clinical arts engagements that promote and facilitate individual health and public arts activities that provide a public health benefit in Rhode Island communities.
• A Community Engaged Project Grant is funding for artists or groups of artists to create arts and culture projects that are directly and actively engaged residents.
• Make Art Grant provides grants to artists or groups of artists to create or continue specific artwork in any discipline.
To learn more about RISCA's grants, click here.
To help with the application process, the staff will host three information sessions, one online and two in-person. Additionally, the grants staff will offer application walk-throughs and drop-in office hours throughout February and March.
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. Visit www.arts.ri.gov for more information. Like us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram and X (formerly Twitter).