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Wednesday, January 29, 2025

The Ely Fund Neighborhood Performing Arts Initiative

The Department of Art, Culture, and Tourism in collaboration with the Providence Parks Department and the Partnership for Providence Parks support events that celebrate the art and cultural heritage of Providence’s diverse neighborhoods

The 2025 application will be live February 24, 2025. Applications will be due March 24 for projects happening in Providence Parks between July 1-September 30, 2025. 

Curious about past events? Download the 2024 performance flyer here: ElyFundArtsSeriesFLYER_English

NEW FOR 2025

Over the past 20 years, the Ely Fund Neighborhood Performing Arts Initiative has lived into the dream of Providence’s first Parks Commissioner, Edward Francis Ely by enlivening our parks as sites of congregation, play, and community life through grants for artists, organizers, and neighborhood groups to produce outdoor, free summer performances in Providence parks.

In order to ensure we are continuing to build a process that works for all of our community, in the summer of 2024, ACT, the Parks Department, the Partnership for Providence Parks and the City of Providence’s Department of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging held a pilot year in order to learn from previous grantees about this important program.

In 2024 we:

  •  only accepted applications from organizers and artists who had been funded previously through the ELY FUND
  • capped our ELY FUND grants at $2k
  • sought a letter of interest and a budget rather than a full application
  • held a series of listening sessions with Parks, P3, and DEIB about how the Ely Fund could become a more effective tool for Providence artists and audiences
  • no longer funded City Council or non-performance events

Based on what we learned, we’ve developed a new plan for the summer of 2025, which we’ll announce over a series of info-sessions open to the public. 

Come to an info-session!

  • On-Line: Wed Jan 22, 12:30-1:30 WATCH THE RECORDING HERE
  • In-person: Thu Feb 13, 5:30-6:30pm at 444 Westminster St (no RSVP required, but email rnoon@providenceri.gov with any questions)

 

Grant Description and Guidelines

Events must be between 7/1/2025 and 9/30/25

All organizations that receive funding must submit a Final Report to the Department of Art, Culture + Tourism within 30 days of the close of their project or before November 30th, whichever comes first. To access the final report form, click here.

Guidelines

  • Must be in a Neighborhood City Park
  • Must take place during weekdays
  • Must be ADA Accessible
  • Must be free-of-charge for attendees
Promotion
  • The Parks Department will promote all NPAI events. Organizations must also promote and advertise their activities through their own means. Funding recipients MUST credit the City of Providence, the Mayor, the Department of Art, Culture + Tourism and the Providence Parks Department
  • Schedule of events need to be finalized and communicated to ACT team by June 30th
Please Note the Following:
  • For purposes of this application the performing arts are defined as: Theater, Music, Dance, Spoken Word.
  • Please review the Final Report (at the end of the Application) to be aware of information that will be necessary to track throughout your project.

REVIEW PROCESS (BEGINNING SPRING 2024)

  • Applications are checked by ACT staff for accuracy and completeness and then prepared for review by an advisory panel.
  • Applications are sent to panelists and are read and ranked online.
  • The review panel meets to determine the final funding recommendations.
  • Funding recommendations go to ACT staff for their review and approval.
  • Notification of grant awards will be made within one week of the application deadline.
  • All awardees will be required to attend a 1:1 meeting with the Department of Art, Culture, and Tourism’s Director of Special Projects, Rebecca Noon.

2025 Applications will open February 24.