General Assembly Sponsored 'Arts Charrette' to Be Held in Smithfield

The Rhode Island Senate and House of Representatives, in cooperation with Gov. Lincoln Chafee, the Rhode Island Foundation, the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts, Fidelity Investments and the Rhode Island School of Design, are sponsoring a “Rhode Island Arts and Economic Charrette” to be held Monday, Feb. 11, at the Fidelity Investments headquarters located on Salem St. in Smithfield.

The event, which is being funded by the Rhode Island Foundation and the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts and is also supported by Fidelity, will run from 4 to 6:30 p.m.

The “charrette” (an intensive effort to finish a project within a limited time) is intended to bring together government, business and non-profit sectors with the arts community to develop a strategy to further the growth of the arts sector to enhance economic development in Rhode Island.

In addition to Governor Chafee, President of the Senate M. Teresa Paiva Weed, and Speaker of the House Gordon D. Fox, others scheduled to participate in the gathering are: Neil Steinberg, President of the Rhode Island Foundation; John Maeda, President of the Rhode Island School of Design; Randall Rosenbaum, Executive Director of the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts; and Carol Warner, Curator, Fidelity Investments.

Following an overview of Rhode Island’s current investments in the arts, there will be several breakout sessions. The sessions will focus on the following questions:

• In what ways can RI distinguish itself from other states, to become “a state of the arts?” What steps can Rhode Island take to create a distinction as a state for the arts (theater, music, museums, dance, etc.)?

• What specific tools (tax credits, investment strategies, bonding) can government employ to encourage growth and jobs in the arts sectors?

• How can non-profit, government, business and academic institutions work together to market, incent, support and grow the arts sector in RI?

The workgroups will summarize and report back their recommendations, which will be graphically recorded by artists at the event.