Newport Comprehensive Land Use Plan - Existing Conditions | Page 171

11 Historical & Cultural Resources
A variety of organizations exist at the State and local level to encourage arts and humanities activities. Through
funding, technical assistance, and promotion, these agencies seek to develop and expand cultural programs. They
include the Rhode Island Committee for the Humanities, the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts, the Rhode Island
Heritage Commission, and the Arts and Cultural Alliance of Newport County. Also, the newportFILM is a non-profit
organization that features documentaries from established and emerging filmmakers’ current productions.

State and Municipal Programs

A variety of organizations exist at the state and local levels to encourage activities related to the arts and humanities.
Through funding, technical assistance, and promotion, these agencies seek to develop and expand cultural programs.
One such organization is the Rhode Island State Council of the Arts. In 2013, the Council made the sale of all original
works of art exempt from state sales taxes. Other state organizations include the Rhode Island Council for the
Humanities and the Historical Preservation & Heritage Commission.
A way that Newport itself supports artists in their community is through the Newport Arts & Entertainment District.
The district covers large portions of the city. It covers all of the Kerry Hill / Van Zandt, Broadway, The Point, Long
Wharf, Downtown, and Goat Island neighborhoods. The district partially covers the Kay / Catherine, Eustis / Easton’s
Pond, North End Commercial, North End Residential, Historic Hill, and Memorial Boulevard neighborhoods. Artists
who live within the Arts & Entertainment District are eligible for sales tax exemption on the sales of their work.

Draft Existing Conditions (March 2016)

Page 11-13