Providence Reporter

The Rhode Island State Council on the Arts (RISCA) has announced that applications for selected arts and culture grant programs are now open. These grants are available to organizations, arts educators, artists, folk and traditional artists, as well as arts and health projects. The deadline for submitting a grant application is April 1 at 11:59 p.m.

RISCA staff members spent last summer and early fall holding public meetings with Rhode Island’s arts and culture community to update the state agency’s applications and evaluation criteria. The purpose of these meetings was to make the application process simpler and more user-friendly.

“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 will be offered in several categories:

- Project Grants for Organizations support relevant arts and culture projects.

- Project Grants in Education assist schools, nonprofit organizations, arts educators, and teaching artists in engaging students with artistic experiences.

- Folk and Traditional Arts Apprenticeships foster artistic skills between mentors and apprentices who share a common cultural heritage.

- Folk and Traditional Arts Fellowships recognize individual artists demonstrating high skill levels.

- Arts and Health Grants fund non-clinical engagements promoting health through public art activities.

- Community Engaged Project Grant supports artist-led projects actively involving residents.

- Make Art Grant provides funding for specific artworks across any discipline.

To facilitate the application process, RISCA will host three information sessions: one online session on February 13 from noon to 1 p.m., an in-person session on February 25 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Warwick Public Library in Warwick, and another in-person session on March 12 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at LitArts RI in Providence.

Application walk-throughs are scheduled throughout February and March for various grants including Arts & Health Grant on February 24 from 11 a.m. to noon online; Project Grants in Education also on February 24 from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.; Make Art Grant & Community Engaged Project Grant later that day from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.; among others.

Additionally, drop-in grant support sessions will be available online starting February through late March for different grants including Folk & Traditional Arts Grants on February 20 from noon to 2 p.m.; Arts & Health Grant on March 6 from noon to 1 p.m.; culminating with last-minute support on April 1 from noon until the submission deadline at 4 p.m.