City of Pawtucket Awarded Two Rhode Island Commerce Grants to Enhance Annual Pawtucket Arts Festival
The City of Pawtucket is thrilled to announce we have recently been awarded two Rhode Island Commerce grants to continue and expand our annual Pawtucket Arts Festival event kicking off Labor Day weekend. The first grant is New Attractions and Destinations ($52,000) and was designed to expand tourism in the region.
“We are excited to expand and reimagine our most successful events and also bring in an array of new events to capture the attention of both Pawtucket residents and tourists alike. Bringing guests to our city for the Pawtucket Arts Festival encourages more tourism throughout the State and Region as well as enticing them back by showcasing the arts and culture industry that is here year-round. The goal is to give a taste or sampling during this ten-day festival, and they then come back to explore our restaurants, breweries, theaters, and cultural events throughout the year”. (Jennifer Kilsey, Cultural Affairs Program Coordinator)
The second grant is a Rhode Island Rebounds Summer Events Placemaking Mini Grant ($25,000) that is specifically for summer events. This funding will be used specifically for Cape Verdean cultural events and programming during the Pawtucket Arts Festival. The funding will be used for various events that highlight Cape Verdean culture, such as musical festivals and arts programming. The Cape Verdean Festival will present an array of interactive workshops and delightful performances, cultivating creativity and imagination across generations and is set to embody the community theme.
Mayor Donald Grebien and Commerce Director Sandra Cano recently traveled to Cape Verde this past February. They made numerous connections to the people and the culture there and wanted to bring back and celebrate all they experienced to Pawtucket. The City of Pawtucket, followed by Providence, has the largest community of Cape Verdeans in Rhode Island. Many local community groups, festival organizers, and City officials have strong ties to the various islands of Cape Verde and will invite elected officials and many artists and musicians to come to attend or perform at the Pawtucket Arts Festival this summer.
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