On May 6, RISCA and the Rhode Island Council for the Humanities hosted a Cultural Conversation at Trinity Repertory Company with National Endowment for the Arts Chair Mary Anne Carter, National Endowment for the Humanities Chair Jon Peede, Senator Jack Reed, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, and Congressman Langevin. The conversation included an opportunity to share personal stories of the impact of arts and humanities funding by Sokeo Ross, Co-Artistic Director of Everett Dance Theatre, and Mark Santow of Clemente Veterans Initiative. You can see a brief video excerpt of Sokeo’s performance here, and see a recorded Facebook live conversation of the whole event at Trinity here.
In the early afternoon after the Cultural Conversation, Mary Anne Carter also visited RISD Museum for a lunch hosted by RISD President Rosanne Somerson and to see the NEA-funded Gorham Silver Show; Providence Performing Arts Center to see their spectacular theatre space; and The Public’s Radio for an interview with Chuck Hinman. In the latter part of the afternoon, Chairman Carter and NEA staff went on site visits to New Urban Arts, DownCity Design, and Community MusicWorks – all organizations that have received NEA grants for their creative youth development programs.
