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The Arts Stimulus Funds in RI - 18 Awarded

Through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), Rhode Island received $291,500 through the allotted $50 million to the NEA. On July 27, joined by local and federal dignitaries, RI State Council on the Arts announced the recipients of these funds at a press conference. In addition to the federal funds, $100,000 from the RI Foundation was contributed to increase the impact of the funds. In total, 18 organizations received grants of either $12,500 or $25,000 to save jobs in the arts.

While the ARRA Arts funds total a small percentage of the entire Stimulus package (65/100ths of 1% to be exact), advocates worked hard to win the inclusion of the arts in the overall package, and further the recognition that the arts as an industry produce jobs like any other. This win is the direct result of the strong advocacy efforts nationwide, locally spearheaded by RI Citizens for the Arts. It is the power of citizens giving a voice to the arts and speaking up with our Congressional leaders.

See the press coverage here:
NBC10 video  |  WPRI12 video  |  Projo.com

RISCA Position Reinstated

In the last days of the House budget negotiations, a critical position within the RI State Council on the Arts was reinstated! The Folk and Community Arts Program Director position was originally cut in the Governor's proposed budget which carried in the House Finance Committee's version. During floor negotiations, RI Citizens for the Arts worked with House Finance Chairman Steven Costantino, Majority Whip Peter Kilmartin, and Deputy Majority Leader Joseph Almeida to reinstate the position.

The position will be funded using federal funds - a win/win for Rhode Island. It doesn't tap into limited state funds but will provide a critical service. The Folk and Community Arts position reaches out into the diverse cultural communities throughout Rhode Island and works to preserve the traditions of those communities through available grant dollars from RISCA.

ARTS ADVOCACY DAY AT THE STATE HOUSE

Once again a huge success! On Tuesday, April 21, we Celebrated the Creative Sector at the State House with arts advocates and legislators. Thank you all who made it out to the event and helped make it a great success!

At AAD this year, we launched this button design - talking to our core message that the arts feed the creative and innovative thinking for today's knowledge-based, business economy.

Here are the highlights: Despite the rain, the State Ballet performed outside, filling the white marble courtyard in front of the State House with color and movement. We shared stories about the arts impact in Rhode Island - see below for transcripts. And then filled the halls of the State House with music while mingling with legislators, featuring the 'Mericans and The Salt Wives. A number of our state leaders joined us for the speaking portion and reception. Senators Maryellen Goodwin (D-Providence) and Edward J. O'Neill (I-Lincoln, N. Providence, Pawtucket) recognized their constituents on the Senate floor as guests taking part in Arts Advocacy Day.

Special thanks to our speakers: Representative Peter Kilmartin (D-Pawtucket), Photographer and Founder of AS220's Photo Lab Scott Lapham, WRNI General Manager Joe O'Connor, and a featured keynote by Curt Columbus, Artistic Director at Trinity Repertory Theatre. Their stories and words were inspiring and spoke to the strength of the arts to our State, our children and our souls.

For those of you who missed it, check out Scott Lapham's speech and Curt Columbus' speech.

Public Art Program - Senate Commission

In the 2008 legislative session, the 1% for the Arts Public Art program was challenged on a number of occasions. Each time, RI Citizens for the Arts worked with legislators to save the program from drastic measures that would have had significant negative affects to the program itself and RI artists who work in the Public Art realm. The result of these efforts culminated into the establishment of a Senate Study Commission on the Public Art program. The Commission held its first meeting on April 21, 2009 and has been meeting weekly ever since. Chaired and established by Senator Lou Raptakis (D-Coventry), the Commission includes Senator Leo Blais (R-Coventry, Foster, Scituate), Senator Frank Ciccone (D-Prov, N. Prov), RI Citizens for the Arts' Executive Director Lisa Carnevale and RI State Council for the Arts' Executive Director Randy Rosenbaum.

peter diepenbrock

The areas in which the program is being studied include: 1. Cost, 2. Preference to RI-only artists, and 3. the Selection process. Testimony was heard on at two of the meetings, with a number of public artists and supporters of the program delivering strong statements on each of these areas. We thank all for taking the time to participate in the discussion.

At the last meeting of the Commission on May 20th, members agreed on provisions that would - in our opinion - better the program and address citizen concerns. Stay tuned for more updates. (And read below for the number of recent articles and editorials on this topic.)

RI Arts Learning Network

From our friends at RISCA and the Arts Learning Network:
Exciting policy news from the arts education arena. Two documents are now out for public review that include the arts as a core subject area. When both are approved by the Board of Regents, they will become regulation with the force of law.

1) BEP--Basic Education Program which sets out minimum standards for a quality education, in everything from curriculum content to family engagement and student support. For the arts, each school district shall ensure a coherent Pk-12 curricula for visual arts & design and at least one of the performing arts. Additionally, "classes in at least two art forms shall be available for each student in each grade through the middle level. A program of study shall exist for all secondary students to enable them to demonstrate proficiency in at least one art form. Additionally, secondary school students shall be provided with the opportunity to do multiple levels of coursework in visual arts and design in both two and three dimensions and in at least one performing arts discipline."

On Tuesday, May 19, RI Citizens for the Arts' Lisa Carnevale testified in front of the Board of Regents at the last of four hearings on the BEP. Also speaking on behalf of the arts was Sherry Brown, RISCA's Education Coordinator and Jeannine Chartier of VSA Arts/RI.

2) Arts GSE's--grade span expectations. This document outlines what students are expected to know and be able to do in the arts (visual arts & design, music, theatre, dance) at grades 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10. This document will ultimately be up for approval by the Board of Regents, either in June or this Fall.

While policy does not guarantee practice, it is the legal foundation of our work going forward.