Bristol Art Museum Awarded Grant to Support Initiatives at the RI Veterans Home

BRISTOL, RI – The Bristol Art Museum (BAM) announces it is the recipient of a Friends of Rogers Free Library (RFL) Community Grant to fund a new initiative, "Bristol Art Museum Salutes Veterans," that honors local Veterans through art workshops and a public exhibition of their work. The workshops are taking place throughout the summer. 

In collaboration with the Rhode Island Veterans Home Community Living Center, the Museum will offer a series of art workshops for Veterans. Accomplished artists Barbara Larned and Tom Corrigan will guide these workshops, which will feature acrylic painting and cellphone photography. The artwork created by the Veterans will be showcased in an exhibition at the Community Gallery at the Rogers Free Library from Nov. 7 to Dec. 27.

“Through this Friends of the Rogers Free Library grant, the Bristol Art Museum will share with Veterans residing in the Community Living Center the therapeutic and thought-provoking impact of the arts,” said Lynn Moran Sullivan, Museum Board member. “This project underscores the Museum's and Library's commitment to inclusivity and diversity. By bringing art into the lives of Veterans, the initiative aims to enhance their quality of life and integrate their experiences into the broader community narrative. The exhibition will serve as a platform for Veterans to share their stories, enriching the cultural fabric of Bristol.”

The grant will cover flexible and easy-to-use materials for art creation, primarily focusing on acrylic painting and cellphone photography. It will also cover costs associated with a public exhibition of the artwork created by the Veterans in the workshop.
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The Bristol Veterans Administration facility is home to more than 200 honorably discharged war Veterans requiring medical and rehabilitative services or long-term care. Their stated mission is to promote and enhance the quality of care and life for Veterans through education, networking and advocacy which complements the missions of both BAM and RFL: to be welcoming, diverse, and inclusive. 

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