PROVIDENCE — Providence College Galleries (PCG) has been approved by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) for a Grants for Arts Projects award of $30,000. This funding will support an additional basketball court mural in the City of Providence in partnership with My HomeCourt (MHC), which restores under-resourced basketball courts and turns them into colorful, living works of art to strengthen communities and inspire basketball players from all walks of life.
“The NEA is delighted to announce this grant to PC Galleries, which is helping contribute to the strength and well-being of the arts sector and local community,” said National Endowment for the Arts Chair Maria Rosario Jackson, PhD. “We are pleased to be able to support this community and help create an environment where all people have the opportunity to live artful lives.”
“Providence College Galleries is grateful to receive a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts,” said Carol Stakenas, PC Galleries Director and Chief Curator. “This will provide crucial support for our vital partnership with My HomeCourt and the Providence Parks Department. It's gratifying to expand and deepen our community connections through this ongoing collaboration,” said Stakenas.
"My HomeCourt is honored to be recognized by the National Endowment for the Arts with support for our exciting community project in partnership with Providence College Galleries and the Providence Parks Department,” said Kate McNamara Executive Director of My HomeCourt. “We believe that revitalizing basketball courts empowers the very people who utilize them, and we are thrilled to bring the important work of contemporary artist Trenton Doyle Hancock to our Providence communities," said McNamara.
The new mural design for the basketball court at James Ahern Park in the Silver Lake section of Providence will be created by the Houston-based contemporary artist Trenton Doyle Hancock. The artist was selected by PCG’s curatorial team through a nomination process in partnership with a national advisory board that aids in selecting each MHC artist annually. For the 2024 court, Trenton Doyle Hancock will engage directly with the surrounding communities to develop a design that reflects the diverse neighborhood of Silver Lake, while simultaneously integrating his colorful narrative designs.
