Ridgefield Historical Society Intern, Tyler Ingram, places an antique school bell in the RHS dumbwaiter. The bell was en route to a collaborative exhibition at the Ridgefield Guild of Artists.
Ridgefield Historical Society receives two CTH Grants totaling over $20,000
For Immediate Release: 3/18/2022
RIDGEFIELD, CT: If you’re a fan of culture and arts, then you’re a fan a Connecticut Humanities (CTH), whether you know it or not. An independent, non-profit affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. CTH champions the value of humanities in our lives and in society, and supports this mission with grants, partnerships, and programs. Their work enriches Connecticut communities, enhances our quality of life, and introduces opportunities for learning and conversation — all goals worth embracing.
This year, the Ridgefield Historical Society is the grateful recipient of two CTH grants totaling $20,563: a SHARP Capacity Grant in the amount of $7,763, and a CT Cultural Fund Operating Support grant in the amount of $12,800.
The SHARP Capacity Grant funding will support the hardware, software, and time needed to organize and structure the Historical Society’s collections, to make them more accessible, both online and in-person; and the CTH Cultural Fund Operating Grant will support Historical Society programs and collaborations intended to introduce items from the substantial Historical Society Collection — in real life.
“With the lightening of the pandemic, and the welcome return to an in-person life, the Ridgefield Historical Society is thrilled to re-open our doors and share some of our intriguing pieces and interesting stories,” says Nancy Rowe, executive director. “A little bit of history goes a long way, and we have lots of treasures that will pique the curiosity and imaginations of all our community members. It’s time to get them out and introduce them!”
The SHARP (Sustaining the Humanities through the American Rescue Plan) Capacity Grant is supported by American Rescue Plan Act funds which were designed to help humanities organizations and cultural institutions thrive and continue to serve their communicates in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. These funds were passed along to the states by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Connecticut Humanities awarded $720,192 in SHARP funds through 77 grants.
Funding for the CT Cultural Fund Operating Support grant comes from the state Department of Economic and Community Development Office of the Arts. In January 2022, CT Humanities awarded 632 non-profit museums and cultural, humanities, and arts organizations a total of $16,109,800 in CT Cultural Fund Operating Support Grants (CTCFOSG). The CTCFOSG are part of $30.7M of support allocated to CTH over the next two years by the CT General Assembly and approved by Governor Ned Lamont.
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