The Mosaic Club of Newport County annually presents three $1,500 Mosaic Club Awards to graduating seniors in the three public high schools on Aquidneck Island who will be entering college or a vocational, technical or trade school. Applications are now available in the guidance offices of Rogers, Middletown and Portsmouth high schools. Scholarship recipients will be announced at award ceremonies at each individual school. The deadline for returning applications is April 28. Recipients are selected based on specific criteria: volunteer and community service, an essay and a recommendation.
Curious to see the new home for the Middletown Public Library?
There’s an open house scheduled for Thursday, March 20 at 5-7 p.m. for residents, businesspeople and guests for walk throughs of 110 Enterprise Center. Library staff and those involved with the project will lead tours and answer questions about the effort.
The Portsmouth Free Public Library invites all K–5th grade students to showcase their creativity in the Summer Reading 2025 Poster Contest. This year’s theme, “LEVEL UP AT YOUR LIBRARY,” encourages young artists to design a poster celebrating the power of reading and adventure.
The contest begins on March 24, and all entries must be submitted by April 25. One winner will be chosen from each grade group (K–1st, 2nd–3rd and 4th–5th), and the winning posters will be displayed in the Children’s Library from June 9 to Aug. 16. Winners will also receive a $10 Dunkin’ gift card.
Posters should be 11” x 17” (tabloid size) and can be created using a variety of mediums, including paint, colored pencils, digital art and more. Additional guidelines and entry forms are available at the Children’s Library Circulation Desk. Submissions may be dropped off at the Children’s Library or sent electronically to kids@portsmouthlibrary.org.
The Library Board of Trustees will select winners on May 5, and winners will be notified by May 9. By entering, students grant permission for their artwork to be used in promotional materials.
For full contest details, visit www.portsmouthlibrary.org or contact the Children’s Library at (401) 683-9457.
The Arts & Cultural Alliance of Newport County’s (ACA) is now accepting submissions for the Spring Artist Award. The Artist Award supports Newport County artists and art projects that benefit our communities. Applications are due before midnight on Monday, March 17. Awardees notifications will be made on or before April 17.
Now in its eighth year, ACA’s Artist Award provides up to $1,000 in financial support for artists’ projects that directly educate, inspire and uplift the residents of Newport County.
Application and submission guidelines can be found on the ACA website at: www.newportarts.org Those who seek additional assistance can reach out to newportarts@gmail.com
Artists of all backgrounds, identities, genres, and artistic disciplines – including visual arts (illustration, graphic design, multimedia), performing arts (dance, music, theatre), literary arts (creative writing, poetry), and any other traditional or emerging field – residing in and/or offering artistic programs to any of the six Newport County communities (Jamestown, Little Compton, Middletown, Newport, Portsmouth, Tiverton) are strongly encouraged to apply. Artists proposing an individual project or working collaboratively are also eligible.
ACA Artist Awards’ applicants must be a member of ACA at the time of submission – membership is available through the website at: www.newportarts.org or by sending a check to Arts & Cultural Alliance of Newport County, PO Box 4334, Middletown, RI 02842.
ACA’s 2025 awardee will be similarly acknowledged at the next “Raise Up the Arts!” celebration on June 25, 2025 at the Wyndham in Middletown, RI.
The Preservation Society of Newport County encourages anyone seeking a career change or just looking for a new beginning to attend its job fair on Wednesday, March 19, from 3-6 p.m.
This event will be held inside the Preservation Society headquarters at 424 Bellevue Ave., Newport. Parking is free and there will be refreshments.
With approximately 30 part-time and full-time positions in a variety of fields, there will be a wealth of exciting opportunities for job seekers. Bring your resume and apply and interview in person. Meet current employees and find out what it’s like to be a member of the Newport Mansions team.
Part-time positions offer a regular schedule throughout the year. Seasonal employment opportunities are also available during tourism season.
Full-time positions include benefits such as access to health, dental and vision insurance, a 403(b) retirement plan and family membership in the Preservation Society. Part-time positions include a 403(b) retirement plan and family membership.
Anyone who would like to become a volunteer should also visit this job fair. Internship opportunities are also available. To learn more, go to www.newportmansions.org/about-us/careers-internships.
RENEWport will bring internationally-renowned political scientist and author professor Robert D. Putnam to Newport on April 15. Putnam’s visit will feature his keynote address “What is the State of American Democracy Today?” at 5 p.m. at Salve Regina University. The event is free and open to the public, with online RSVP at https://renewport.org/event/the-state-of-american-democracy-today/
Putnam is in high demand for his perspective and writing about the decline of the American community and its impact on American democracy. He has recently appeared on “The Daily Show,” “PBS NewsHour,” and Trevor Noah’s podcast, “What Now?” Putnam is the Malkin Research Professor of Public Policy at Harvard University. He has written 15 books, translated into 20 languages, including “Making Democracy Work: Civic Traditions in Italy” and “Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community,” both among the most cited (and bestselling) social science works in nearly a century. His full bio can be found at RENEWport’s website.
This visit is made possible through the generous support of Dwight and Susan Sipprelle, Jane Timken, and Stephen and Jennie Huttler. RENEWport would also like to thank Salve Regina University, the Rhode Island Foundation, and the Preservation Society of Newport County.
Leading up to Putman’s visit, RENEWport has coordinated a schedule of events centered around building community. These events include an art making night with Newport Art House, storytelling with Tell Newport, a screening of Putnam’s Join or Die, a collaborative music experience with the New England Music Organization, a screening of Checkpoint Zoo by NewportFILM, and a talk by Jere Wells: “Not Always Bowling Alone in America – A Cultural History of American Civic Associations.” Details for these events can be found at www.renewport.org/events.
