Mayor Taveras Announces WaterFire Providence and Community MusicWorks Receive Grants from ArtPlace America

Mayor Angel Taveras joined with leaders of Rhode Island's creative community on June 12 for a press conference to announce that WaterFire Providence and Community MusicWorks have received national recognition by ArtPlace, a philanthropic collaboration of the nation's top foundations in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts and other federal agencies.

Waterfire received a $454,000 grant for new programs and Community MusicWorks received $100,000 to ramp up its community engagement initiatives including its community dinner program. The prestigious ArtPlace grants are highly competitive; this year, ArtPlace awarded $15.4 million nationwide to 47 creative placemaking initiatives in 33 communities with grants ranging from $75,000 to $500,000.

"Congratulations to Waterfire and to Community MusicWorks for being nationally recognized by the celebrated ArtPlace initiative," said Mayor Angel Taveras. "I thank ArtPlace for its investment in two of our city's leading arts organizations. This honor is further evidence that Providence is truly a leader in the Creative Placemaking movement and home to one of the most vibrant communities of artists and arts organizations in America."

"We are deeply honored to be selected by ArtPlace for inclusion in this important program and for their recognition of how successful WaterFire has been in bringing new vibrancy and vitality to downtown Providence," said Barnaby Evans, WaterFire's founder and executive artistic director. "Over 15 million people have made the trip to Providence over the past 18 years to see WaterFire."