More trolls!
By Will Collette
 |
| Jessica Sloan |
It looks like the Charlestown's two acclaimed upcycled wood trolls, created by artist Thomas Dambo and installed in Ninigret Park, may be getting a little brother or sister soon..
In a new round of state grants from RI Commerce, two grants will help fund more trolls, in Ninigret and elsewhere in South County:
South County Tourism, Inc. | $107,500 | To support expanding the South County Troll Trail by constructing and installing a third Thomas Dambo troll sculpture in South County.
Town of North Kingstown | $107,500 | To support constructing and installing a Thomas Dambo troll sculpture in North Kingstown.
These grants are part of a $2 million package of grants RI Commerce has dubbed "Placemaking Initiative Awards to Support Statewide Outdoor and Public Space Capital Improvement Projects & Events" or you can just call them PIASSOPSCIPE grants.
While some might consider government funding for public art displays a waste of money for any variety of reasons, public art, in my opinion, is a worthy investment for enriching the soul. Civil societies have understood this for millennia leaving behind monuments that still inspire awe and wonder today.
Here is the full list of grants:
Outdoor and Public Space Capital Improvements
City of Central Falls | $200,000 | To support
the restoration of the Cogswell Tower in Central Falls for future-planned
placemaking and tourism initiatives.
City of Pawtucket | $100,000 | To support site
preparation, installing lighting and landscaping, and obtaining sculptures for
the Riverwalk Sculpture Park in Pawtucket in 2025.
City of Providence | $150,000 | To support
constructing and installing an immersive lighting installation above the
Providence Parks Department’s City Center Rink for year-round event programming
initiatives.
Discover Newport | $200,000 | To support
constructing and installing an elephant sculpture trail in either the East Bay
Bike Path, Weetamoo Woods in Tiverton, or the Sakonnet Greenway Trail in
Portsmouth and Middletown.
New Shoreham Tourism Council | $81,900 | To support creating a mobile greenway guide to Block Island walking trails in 2025.
Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council |
$68,000 | To support constructing and installing six (6) sculpture foundations,
three (3) RainKeep sculptures, and three (3) metal sculptures throughout the
Woonasquatucket River watershed area in Providence to increase foot traffic,
remove blight, and attract commerce to the surrounding community.
Event Programming
AS220 | $50,000 | To support Food Fest, an
all-day summer street festival in downtown Providence featuring art and music
in 2025.
City of East Providence | $50,000 | To support
eight (8) cultural feast events in the City of East Providence in 2025.
The Contemporary Theater Company | $68,877 | To
support a three-day renaissance fair in South Kingstown from August 29, 2025,
through August 31, 2025.
The Empowerment Factory | $52,175 | To support
the 9th Annual Healthy Living Community Event in Pawtucket in 2025 as part of
the Pawtucket Arts Festival.
Federal Hill Commerce Assn., Inc. | $75,000 | To
support Christmas on the Hill in December 2024 and the 40th Anniversary
Columbus Festival from October 10, 2025, through October 13, 2025, on Federal
Hill in Providence.
FirstWorks | $75,000 | To support the FirstWorks
Summer Beats concert series in Providence and its expansion into Central Falls
in 2025.
FirstWorks | $75,000 | To support the Global
Journeys event series occurring in Providence in 2025.
Newport Festivals Foundation, Inc. | $46,860 |
To support the creation of the Newport Folk Festival Baseball Classic as part
of the Newport Folk Festival on July 24, 2025, at Cardines Field in
Newport.
Newport Film, Inc. | $15,000 | To support
newportFILM Outdoors, a ten-week summer film series in Newport throughout
2025.
Providence Children’s Film Festival, Inc. |
$25,000 | To support the 2025 Children’s Film Festival occurring in Providence
throughout February 2025.
Providence Children’s Museum | $40,950 | To
support various event programming throughout 2025 including: Boo Bash, Play
ON!, Cultural This Connections, Children’s Theater Program, Summer Fest, and
April School Vacation Week.
Providence Cultural Equity Initiative | $75,000
| To support the Meshanticut Cultural Placemaking Confestival occurring in
Providence from August 19, 2025, through August 24, 2025.
Roger Williams Park Conservancy, Inc. | $75,000
| To support Illuminated Summer: A Summer Spectacle in Roger Williams Park from
May through September 2025.
Town of North Providence | $72,640.82 | To
support the Centredale Village Festival in North Providence in September
2025.
Town of Warren | $75,000 | To support the Town
of Warren’s Family Fun Day, Summer Outdoor Concert Series, Summer Outdoor Movie
Series, and Community Take it Outside Night throughout 2025.
The Westerly Land Trust | $50,000 | To support
the Outdoor Environmental Film Festival in Westerly in 2025.
The Wickford Art Association | $13,100 | To
support the 62nd Wickford Art Festival in 2025.
The Wilbury Theatre Group | $66,800 | To support Providence Fringe Fest and the Southern RI Encore Series in 2025.
