Courting Community in South County

The stately Courthouse Center for the Arts in South Kingstown. Photography courtesy of the Courthouse Center for the Arts

The stately Romanesque building at 3481 Kingstown Rd. has served countless Rhode Islanders. Starting in 1893, it was the original Washington County courthouse, and now it’s the Courthouse Center for the Arts, an educational arts and music nonprofit that hosts tribute concerts, camps and educational programs.

But officials are worried that the aging building’s tenure as a gathering place may be coming to an end.

This past summer, the building’s air conditioners failed, leaving some attendees steaming in the heat, and now the elevator must be replaced, along with other cosmetic and functional upgrades. The quotes are coming in at $100,000, a price the venue cannot afford, says Executive Director Mariann Almonte.

“Without the changes made that need to be made, none of this can exist because we won’t be able to support the programs we have without the concerts,” she says. “Another summer without AC just can’t happen.”

Concert ticket sales fund the center’s arts and music programs for both children and adults. Photography courtesy of the Courthouse Center for the Arts

The South Kingstown organization hosts weekly concerts by tribute bands at the insistence of the venue’s faithful audience, who come to enjoy the music of beloved bands and icons like the Doobie Brothers, Guns N’ Roses, AC/DC, Elvis and Elton John. The upstairs stage is where the courtroom was located, and the original round ceilings provide the space with clear acoustics.

The money raised from ticket sales funds the center’s educational arts and music programs. When the rooms on the first floor aren’t being used as gallery space, they house free theater, music and work-readiness classes for adults and children with autism, Down syndrome and learning disabilities. The classes have made a profound impact on participants, Almonte says.

“Through the program we have so many success stories. People who started in our programs now are acting in big time movies and holding profitable jobs, thanks to what they’ve learned with us,” she says. “They’re so brilliant. I tell people that most likely the differently abled person you’re speaking to has a higher IQ than you and the rest of the people in the front row combined.”

Thankfully, the organization has a loyal and consistent audience: Generous attendees have offered to pay for some of the renovations needed to keep the venue alive, while others have volunteered to put up posters to increase awareness. Over the last few months, supporters have raised $25,000 for the arts center, helping the venue inch closer to its goal.

Almonte’s can-do mentality is a driving force behind the fundraising efforts.

“We always teach our students that ‘can’t’ is a swear word in this building,” says Almonte. “We never believe that something is impossible, so we’ll find a way. We have to.” courthousearts.org