Projo 7 to 7 News Blog

Rhode Island Citizens for the Arts, one of the state's top arts advocacy organizations, has hired Lisa Carnevale as its first executive director.

The news isn't a complete surprise -- Carnevale, 35, had served as the group's interim director since 2003. Still, it comes at a challenging time for many arts groups, which are facing sharp staffing and budget cutbacks due to the sputtering economy.

Well known in local arts circles, Carnevale is co-founder of the Partnership for Creative Industrial Spaces (PCIS), a Providence-based nonprofit that aids artists and small businesses displaced by commercial development. In her new post, Carnevale will report to a board of directors that includes representatives from many of the state's leading arts organizations, including Trinity Rep, PPAC and the RISD Museum.

Founded in 1999, Rhode Island Citizens for the Arts lobbies for increased state arts funding and facilitates communication between local artists, arts groups and the public. In an interview, Carnevale said her top priority would be to increase awareness of the social, cultural and economic value of the arts.

 Tags  arts PPAC Rhode Island RISD

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