Image from PVDFest 2017
In light of our strategic plan and values statement, the Governor-appointed Council which oversees RISCA had asked RISCA staff to reassess and – in some cases – restructure our grant programs to accurately reflect our newly articulated agency values and priorities. The first grant program RISCA restructured is our Investments in Arts and Culture (IAC) general operating support program for organizations. This re-envisioned program will be instituted starting April 2022 for the 2023 state fiscal year and will now be called the General Operating Support for Organizations (GOS) program.
To develop these new program guidelines, RISCA was guided by a Working Group comprised of 22 organizations from around the Ocean State (see CAN YOU TELL ME MORE ABOUT THE WORKING GROUP? section for more information below). At this point in the process, we would like to hear your thoughts on the draft guidelines for the GOS program.
WHY SHOULD I GIVE FEEDBACK?
In an effort to reflect our values of transparency, RISCA organized a Working Group to provide direct public input during the drafting process for this grant program – typically this phase of developing a program would be done by staff without direct public input. The public feedback phase is typically done for all new grant programs. We want this new program to be as relevant and effective for Rhode Island as possible – which means we need to hear from you!
HOW DO I GIVE FEEDBACK?
A copy of the new draft guidelines is available as a PDF here. When you are ready to provide feedback, you will use this survey – see the instructions within the survey for more details. If you are unable to input your responses into the survey for any reason, or if you need a copy of the guidelines in a format readable by screen readers or in a different language, please contact Todd Trebour, Organizations Program Director, at todd.trebour@arts.ri.gov. Todd will be happy to assist you.
Providing us feedback within the survey is important, as we will share the written feedback with RISCA’s Governing Council. To answer any questions you might have before answering the survey, we are hosting three Q & A sessions. While you do not need to attend these sessions in order to provide feedback, we do recommend attending one:
- Q & A Information Session #2: Thursday, March 11, 10 – 11:30 am. Join the call via this link here.
- Q & A Information Session #3: Wednesday, March 17, 9:30 – 11:00 am. Join the call via this link here.
- Q&A information session #1 occurred on Feb. 26.
The feedback survey will be open until end of day March 17, 2021.
WHAT HAPPENS WITH MY FEEDBACK?
All survey responses will be compiled. Written responses to feedback will be crafted by RISCA staff and shared with you, as well as the Council that governs RISCA. In their final review of the new guidelines in late spring, RISCA’s Governing Council will consider feedback – and RISCA staff’s responses to the feedback – in their final editing and approval of this program.
CAN YOU TELL ME MORE ABOUT THE WORKING GROUP?
In February 2020, RISCA’s Governor-appointed Council leadership approved a timeline and process for the restructure of the IAC general operating support program. In particular, RISCA’s Governor-appointed Council wanted to ensure that RISCA’s support of arts and culture organizations affirms our values of equity and access.
As a part of the process, Organizations Program Director Todd Trebour stewarded a Working Group that helped vet and devise strategies for achieving goals of the program within the context of the new strategic plan, new values statement, and the Governing Council’s directive.
The Working Group met four times between May – October 2020. Consisting of 36 people from 22 RI-based arts and culture organizations around the Ocean State, participating organizations varied in size, communities served, and artistic discipline/cultural tradition. The Working Group consisted of organizations in the current IAC program, as well as current cohort and alumni organizations of the Rhode Island Expansion Arts Program:
- AS220.
- Arts Equity RI (formerly VSA Arts).
- Chorus of Westerly.
- City of Providence, Department of Art, Culture + Tourism.
- Community MusicWorks.
- Eastern Medicine Singers.
- Hera Gallery.
- India Association of Rhode Island.
- Island Moving Company.
- Kingston Chamber Music Festival.
- Manton Avenue Project.
- New Urban Arts.
- newportFILM.
- Oasis International.
- Providence CityArts for Youth.
- Rhode Island Black Storytellers.
- Rhode Island Latino Arts.
- RI Philharmonic Orchestra and Music School.
- Riverzedge Arts.
- Sandra Feinstein-Gamm Theatre.
- Teatro ECAS.
- Trinity Repertory Company.
Have any questions? Please contact Organizations Program Director Todd Trebour at todd.trebour@arts.ri.gov.