2024-26 Requesting the City Council support the request of $2.5M to support development of Newport Contemporary Ballet’s Center for Arts, Dance & Education, whether through an amended appropriation to the 2025 State Budget by the Governor, or through legislative appropriation, or bond, on behalf of all residents of the City of Newport and State Of Rhode Island

THE CITY OF NEWPORT

RESOLUTION

OF THE
COUNCIL

No.2024-26

Whereas, Newport Contemporary Ballet (NCB) provides residents of Newport County with innovative in-school curricula, and after-school arts-integrated learning focused to improve educational outcomes in Literacy, Math, and Social Emotional Learning for students, especially, those in underrepresented communities; AND

Whereas, Residents of Newport County and citizens throughout the State Of Rhode Island are provided access to world-class, professional dance performances and events that strengthen Newport’s and Rhode Island’s cultural arts economy with its appeal as an arts & cultural destination for tens of thousands of visitors annually; AND

Whereas, Newport Contemporary Ballet’s programmatic and capital initiatives align with The City Of Newport’s Comprehensive Community Plan and the City’s Vision to remake and rebrand Broadway as “NEWPORT’S CREATIVE CORRIDOR” - intended to promote and link key arts infrastructure, starting at the gateway to Newport’s North-End, and terminating in Washington Square; AND

Whereas, After Forty-Two (42) years of continued operations, Newport Contemporary Ballet is poised to enter a new phase of service to Newport and the State through its plan to create the company’s first permanent home, establishing a Center for Arts, Dance, & Education in the heart of Newport at 435 Broadway; AND

Whereas, NCB’s proposed Center for Arts, Dance & Education, will fill a void of critically needed arts-infrastructure and provide state-of-the-art, affordable facility resources, including a 180-seat flexible performance space, class & rehearsal studios, and shared office space presently unavailable in The City Of Newport for the benefit of other vital arts & cultural organizations; and all of whom lack appropriately scaled, affordable, high-quality space(s) to

offer their educational programs, rehearsals, and performances, have provided testimony documenting their needs and letters of support of NCB’s proposed Center for Arts, Dance & Education, and with a new dedicated bus stop; AND

Whereas, A recent Economic Impact Study researched and developed by the Department of Business & Economics at Salve Regina University concluded that five years after establishing NCB’s Center for Arts, Dance, & Education, the company’s annual economic impact to the City and State would increase by over 68%, from $1.8M at present, to $3.03M; AND

Whereas, NCB’s proposed Center for Arts, Dance & Education will provide the City of Newport and State of Rhode Island with numerous benefits beyond those listed in this resolution and become a vital part of the City’s Arts & Cultural fabric in perpetuity; NOW, Therefore, BE IT

RESOLVED, that the Council of the City Of Newport supports the request of $2.5M to support development of Newport Contemporary Ballet’s Center for Arts, Dance & Education, whether through an amended appropriation to the 2025 State Budget by the Governor, OR through legislative appropriation, or bond, on behalf of all residents of the City of Newport and State Of Rhode Island.

JEANNE MARIE NAPOLITANO
XAY KHAMSYVORAVONG
LYNN UNDERWOOD CEGLIE

IN COUNCIL
READ AND PASSED
MARCH 13, 2024

LAURA C. SWISTAK, CMC
CITY CLERK