Last month, the National Endowment for the Arts announced that it would grant $300,000 to support the work of 12 art initiatives across Rhode Island.
But in light of President Trump’s recent attempt to freeze all federal funding, some of these organizations worry whether or not they will receive their grant money. The NEA is an independent federal agency funded by Congress.
Marisa Brown, the executive director of the Providence Preservation Society, thinks the “funding is going to come through.”
The society is a historical preservation nonprofit that aims to “support heritage work across the entire city,” according to Brown. It was awarded $15,000 from the NEA to support a fellowship program through which a selected artist would receive funding to conduct a research-based project about the history of a neighborhood or community within Providence.
But the freeze has “generated a lot of anxiety among cultural nonprofits that often rely on federal funding,” Brown added. She believes the Trump administration will be evaluating organizations that receive funding to ensure they are not “woke.”
The White House did not respond to a request for comment.
Another organization, DownCity Design, was awarded $35,000 to help support programs in design education for teens throughout Providence.
DownCity Design is a youth-focused nonprofit that aims to “harness the creative power of design” to transform neighborhoods, wrote Adrienne Gagnon, the co-founder and executive director of DownCity Design, in an email to The Herald.
The youth programs plan to teach more than 75 young people about design and fabrication through projects that will support community needs in Providence, according to Gagnon.
“They’re not just learning to use tools or draw plans — they’re developing confidence, learning to collaborate and discovering they can be leaders in their communities,” Gagnon wrote. “For many of our students, especially those from underserved communities, it opens doors to creative careers they might not have considered before.”
“Our students want to create spaces that bring people together — whether that’s a beautiful bus shelter where neighbors can chat while waiting for the bus, or seating areas that invite people to pause and connect,” Gagnon added.
newportFILM, an organization that showcases documentaries oriented towards social change, also received a grant from the NEA.
Getting NEA funding is “a great honor,” newportFILM Executive Director Cathleen Carr told The Herald. The organization plans to use the $10,000 award to support this year’s annual film festival.
Julia Sanches, a literary translator, was awarded $15,000 to support her as she translates a novel from Portuguese into English. Other organizations that received NEA funding include Capeverdean American Community Development of R.I., the Artist Communities Alliance, AS220, New Urban Arts, Queer.Archive.Work, the RISD Museum, the Trinity Repertory Company and The Steel Yard.
