PPAC Announces 2026 ARTS Scholars, Celebrating 30 Years of Arts Education

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Ninety-eight Rhode Island middle school students receive up to $600 each, supported by Textron Charitable Trust.

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The Providence Performing Arts Center 's Community Outreach Committee has announced that 98 Rhode Island middle school students have received ARTS Scholarships. Each scholarship provides up to $600 to help a student attend an arts program or camp of their choice this summer. This year's awards include five memorial scholarships that are supported by the generosity of the DePietro, O'Donnell and Ragosta families. The 2026 ARTS Scholarships recipients are listed below.

The ARTS Scholarships program is made possible by the Textron Charitable Trust and PPAC Annual Fund donors, with additional support from WPRI 12.

The program was established in 1996 by PPAC's Marketing Department in partnership with the PPAC Board's Community Outreach Committee. In the mid-1990s, the Theatre presented a series of Gospel Fests featuring local volunteer gospel choirs. These concerts were billed as “for the community; by the community.” Inspired by this community-oriented message, the Marketing Department created the ARTS Scholarships program to support young people during a critical time of self-development.

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Now celebrating its 30th anniversary, PPAC's ARTS Scholarships program has provided nearly 1,000 Rhode Island students in grades six through eight with opportunities to attend summer arts programs, where they can explore their artistic interests, cultivate their creativity and strengthen their ability to express themselves.

Janet Fogarty, PPAC Board Director and Chair of the Community Outreach Committee, said, “On behalf of PPAC's ARTS Scholarships sub-committee, I can say that we are encouraged and inspired by the creativity and talent reflected in students' applications each year. We are grateful for the opportunity to play a small role in supporting Rhode Island middle school students as they pursue and, in some cases, discover their passion for the arts.”

Karen Warfield, Textron, Inc. Community Affairs Manager, said, “For more than 20 years, the Textron Charitable Trust has proudly supported PPAC's ARTS Scholarships program. It has been an honor to help broaden access to arts education and enrich young people's lives. Congratulations to the 2026 ARTS Scholarship recipients!”

P.J. Prokop, PPAC Director of Marketing and founder of the ARTS Scholarships program, said, “When we created the ARTS Scholarships program 30 years ago, we never imagined it would positively impact nearly 1,000 students across the state. Each year, everyone at PPAC feels tremendously proud that we can provide young people with meaningful opportunities to explore their artistic interests and express themselves through summer arts educational programs and camps, right here in Rhode Island.”

In honor of the program's 30th anniversary, the Marketing Department hosted a logo design competition for Rhode Island middle and high school students. The winning design was created by Laura Rodríguez Rosario, a sophomore at St. Mary Academy – Bay View, and was selected from 43 entries. Her logo will represent the ARTS Scholarships program moving forward.

The 2026 ARTS Scholarships awards will be presented today during a special ceremony on the stage of the Providence Performing Arts Center for recipients and their invited guests. The ceremony will also celebrate the program's 30th anniversary and include special recognition for Rodríguez Rosario, creator of the new logo.

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_Originally reported by [BroadwayWorld](https://www.broadwayworld.com/rhode-island/article/PPAC-Reveals-2026-ARTS-Scholarships-Class-Marking-30-Years-of-Arts-Education-20260514)._