Skip To Menu
Skip To Content
Skip To Accessibility Options
Skip To Language Options
Tuesday, October 13, 2026
Grants and Opportunities

City of Providence Cultural Festival Grant Fund

Charlotte Abotsi

Summary

Through an allocation from Mayor Brett P. Smiley and the City of Providence, the Department of Art, Culture, Tourism General Fund (ACT) will distribute $50,000 in new grant funding to support cultural festival celebration events held and anchored in the City of Providence. The Cultural Festival Grant Fund will support organizations hosting largescale cultural festivals in Providence throughout fiscal year 2027.

ACT Cultural Festival Definition:    

Cultural festivals are events that celebrate the traditions of a particular people or place. Organized around the shared expression of identity and/or heritage, cultural festivals commemorate the traditions, and shared customs of a community, bringing people together through food, music, dance, art, and ritual. Cultural festivals create the opportunity for people to gather in honor of who they are and where they come from. 

Available Funding: $50,000 for Fiscal Year 2027. 

Grant Funding Amounts: Eligible applicants can request funding from $1,500-$4,000. Awarded applicants may utilize funds retroactively up to one year. 

Eligibility:  

  • Cultural Festival must take place from July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027.
  • Cultural Festival must be located in the City of Providence. 
  • Cultural Festival must be free and open to the public. 
  • Cultural Festival must be accessible to the public.
  • Cultural Festival cannot be religiously affiliated.  
  • Cultural Festival must have been held annually for minimum of 3-5+ consecutive years in the City of Providence. 
  • Cultural Festival must be permitted through City of Providence Special Event Permit application process before 8-10 weeks before festival event date. 
  • Cultural Festival must have a total event budget that exceeds $8000.

FY27 Timeline

  • Cultural Festivals Grant Fund announced October 16. 
  • Grant Information Session held on October 28 from 12-1 PM on Microsoft Teams
    • (To receive the meeting link, RSVP to Special Projects Manager Charlotte Abotsi at cabotsi@providenceri.gov) 
  • Applications accepted on a rolling basis starting November 15 
  • Last call for applications: May 15, 2027
Cultural Festival Grant Fund Application