2026 State Cultural Facilities Grantees is sponsored by Rhode Island State Council on the Arts. Past State Cultural Facilities Grantees listing . State Poet of Rhode Category: Arts & Culture.

# State Cultural Facilities Grant (SCFG) Program # Panel -Recommended Grant ees Cape verdean American Community Development , Pawtucket , Grant: $500,000 Joining funding from the Champlin Foundation and the City of Pawtucket, the grant will support modernization of core systems in Capeverdean American Community Development’s two -story building, located in downtown Pawtucket.

Funding will address safety, cr umbling masonry, accessibility, HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and building envelope upgrades. The renovation will create a premier cultural facility that allows for expansion of programming capacity ; serves as an anchor for Pawtucket’s arts district ; attracts communities in greater Providence and beyond ; and ensures full ADA compliance.

The Sandra Feinstein -Gamm Theatre , Warwick , Grant : $331, 652 The Gamm Theatre is continuing to invest in its Warwick facility to ensure it remains a vibrant, welcoming, and accessible cultural anchor for Rhode Island and Southeastern New England.

Planned facility improvements will better serve the theater’s artists, audiences, and community by dedicating lab space for its recently announced new play development program and growing its education and community engagement programs.

Other enhancements include a more accessible lobby entrance and the addition of an elevat or, which will make the building fully ADA accessible for the theater’s diverse patron base, creating a seamless patron experience. Funding from the SCFG program will inspire further community philanthropy and strengthen The Gamm’s capacity to engage and s erve the region for years to come.

Friends of Linden Place , Bristol , Grant: $331,280 To address the problem of water infiltration at Linden Place caused by heavy rain, the Friends of Linden Place will replace the roofs on each of its three buildings, the 1810 Mansion, circa 1906 ballroom, and circa 1850 carriage house, which houses the Bristol Art Museum.

Each building is home to programming that directly contributes to the cultural and artistic life of the East Bay community. Addressing this issue also will ensure the safety of the collections at Linden Place and the Bristol Art Museum.

Southside Cultural Center of Rhode Island , Providence , Grant: $250,000 In its historic building, t he installation of an elevator is an urgent project that will e nable the center to increase capacity, develop, and produce accessible programing. It will allow patrons to have access to the fourth -floor 300 -seat proscenium theatre.

Installation of the elevator includes Newport Art Museum , Newport , Grant: $211,841 Improvements to Griswold House will remove barriers to access, protect collections and historic architecture, expand exhibition capacity, improve comfort for visitors, staff, and artists, and reduce energy use and operating costs .

Among the needed projects are integrat ion of a new Buildings Management System (BMS) to unify controls across the Museum’s historic buildings, and a scalable menu of climate improvements, including added dehumidification and 2 humidification, de -stratification of trapped heat, replace mini split in the artist apartment, and replace aging HVAC units.

Campus walkway re-pav ing will rehabilitate the Museum’s heavily worn and uneven walkways, which currently pose significant accessibility challenges. Pres erve RI for the Lippitt House Museum , Providence , Grant: $ 200,000 Preserve RI will address dire exterior restoration to the National Historic Landmark, Lippitt House , an example of 19th century Victorian design and craftsmanship.

The funding will support mortar repointing and brownstone repair and/or replacement in strategic areas that will restore the building’s envelope to a sound watertight condition and, importantly, eliminate hazards that pose life safety threats to visitors.

Additionally, the project ensures the Museum contributes to the neighborhood and city’s reputation as a cultural stronghold ; a desirable place to work and live ; and a destination for tourists South County Art Association , Kingston , Grant: $ 200,000 Preservation and adaptive reuse for the John Russell House, Kingston Village, will provide new classrooms, studios, and galleries, expand parking and outdoor programming, and ensure ADA accessibility.

This expansion will allo w the association to serve an additional 1,200 –1,500 students annually ; grow audiences by up to 40 percent; and create new partnerships. The Russell House project will enrich the state’s arts economy for generations to come by expanding access, supporting artists, and building a lasting cultural legacy. Newport Historical Society , Newport , Grant: $ 165,366 .

The Newport Historical Society will upgrade the c irca 1697 Wanton -Lyman -Hazard House with an ADA -compliant ramp and fully accessible new entrance to prepare for the 2026 grand re - opening as the Edward W. Kane and Martha J. Wallace Center for Black History.

The project includes creating a new entry point on S tone Street with a ramp and handrails to serve as a gateway to the sculpture garden of contemporary art. DownCity Design , Providence , Grant: $100,000. Undersized HVAC equipment will be replaced with highly efficient equipment and properly engineered systems, ensuring students can learn and create year -round in a comfortabl y controlled temperature setting.

The Greenwich Odeum , East Greenwich, Grant: $ 100,000 . To be installed is a new LED -lit marquee . The marquee will serve as a prominent focal point and community information source, whil e maintain ing its historic character .

This upgrade will help the Odeum continue as a vibrant community hub for decades to come. La Farge Restoration Fund at Newport Congregational Church , Newport, Grant : $100,000. The La Farge Restoration Fund is collaborating with the Newport Fire Chief and specialized consultants to implement a fire prevention system in the historic former sanctuary and adjacent parish hall.

The system will adhere to National Park Service guidelin es for historic structures 3 during installation and take into consideration the fragility of the existing architectural art surfaces, infrastructure issues such as boosted water pressure, new wiring, and engineering.

The Granite Theatre , Westerly , Grant: $92,522 This project will replace and upgrade outdated stage lights to energy efficient LED s, the light board , and necessary electrical work to ensure safety and compliance .

This upgrade will not only contribute to energy efficiency and sustainability but will also enhance artistic capabilities Oasis International , Providence , Grant: $ 70,000 The grant will be used to install an air conditioning and heating system ; renovate the bathroom and kitchen areas ; relocate the electrical system ; and complete painting throughout the space.

By implementing these improvements, the hope is to create a more comfortable and functional environment that will enhance Oasis’ capacity to host a variety of events and programs. Riverzedge Arts Project , Woonsocket , Grant: $44,240 Rusted and antiquated exterior doors will be replaced as well as upgrade s to two sets of existing fire -rated interior entryway/lobby double doors .

A dditional fire -rated door will be installed on the basement level . New h andles and locksets on existing classroom doors will make them fully ADA complian t and provide the security necessary to host different age groups at the same time . The organization will scrape and paint its tin ceiling, remediating chipping lead paint .

Newport Classical , Newport , Grant: $32,860 Newport Classical will renovat e the bathrooms in the Recital Hall so they are ADA -compliant, in addition to increasing capacity, easing congestion, and improving the customer experience. fixtures and building materials that will be selected for their ease of cleaning to maximize hygiene and for their energy efficiency and d urability.

Artists' Exchange , Cranston , Grant: $14,125 Artists' Exchange will improve the air quality of the lower -level studios through HVAC work including HEPA filtration, and ventilation for our equipment for ceramics . This plan also involves purchasing a new storage unit for dry chemicals, which are used for clay and glaze formulation, as well as a fume vent for proper air quality while working with these materials.

Other improvements are energy efficient LED lighting , and new water filling and filtration . South County Museum , Narragansett , Grant: $3,200 The South County Museum plans to replace rotted porches, ramps , and doors to both its Icehouse Studio and Letterpress House.

These repairs will include for the Icehouse Studio replace ment of baluster s, railings and handrails on the handicap ramp ; porch and stairs to the back entrance ; and install railing on the front door. For the Printshop the following will be replace d, front left stairs and porch , back stairs to screened -in deck , side door and double overhead track sliding door.

4 State Cultural Facilities Grantees Organization Name City/Town Grant Amt.

Capeverdean American Community Development Pawtucket $500,000 The Sandra Feinstein -Gamm Theatre Warwick $331,652 Friends of Linden Place Bristol $331,280 Southside Cultural Center of Rhode Island Providence $250,000 Newport Art Museum Newport $211,841 Preserve RI for the Lippitt House Museum Providence $200,000 South County Art Association Kingston $200,000 Newport Historical Society Newport $165,366 DownCity Design Providence $100,000 The Greenwich Odeum East Greenwich $100,00 La Farge Restoration Fund at Newport Congregational Church Newport $100,000 The Granite Theatre Westerly $92,522 Oasis International Providence $70,000 Riverz edge Arts Project Woonsocket $44,240 Newport Classical Newport $32,860 Artists’ Exchange Cranston $14,125 South County Museum Narragansett $3,200 Total Recommended Funding $2,7 47, 086 Administered by the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts, the State Cultural Facilities Grant Program promotes careful planning for capital improvement, preservation, renovation, and new construction projects for public and nonprofit artistic, performance centers, museums and cultural art centers located around the state.

Through its matching requirements , the program stimulates broader support and participation in cultural facility projects statewide. Rhode Island State Council on the Arts (RISCA) 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 art ists, schools, community centers, social service organizations and local governments to bring the arts into the lives of Rhode Islanders.