Rome Shakespeare Festival awarded $20,000 grant

Rome Shakespeare Festival has been awarded a $20,000 partner grant from the Georgia Council for the Arts.

“We received a 98:50 score out of 100 points by the grant panel,” said organizer Gail Deschamps. “Adjudicators from around the state graded the Shakespeare Festival, the River Arts District Playhouse and all RSF’S social and educational programs. For the grant, RSF submitted a detailed multi-year strategic plan which was approved by the board of directors in February.”

“The impact we have on underserved communities, and the Rome and Floyd general community was also taken into account,” said Tracy Hellriegel, executive director. “Partner grants are very competitive as organizations from all over the state of Georgia submit applications. Naturally, we are ecstatic here.”

Rome Shakespeare Festival was founded in 2015. The first Shakespeare festival on the town green opened in May,2016 to great success with “A Midsummer Night’s

Dream.” During the 2018

Shakespeare festival, RSF expanded its offerings by creating the intimate River

Arts District Playhouse on

North 5TH Avenue. Performances of The Complete

Works of William Shakespeare Abridged was followed by a season of plays and musicals in Rome’s New River District. “The River District is Important to our development,’ said Gail Deschamps, ‘We believe its future will be a strolling village with galleries, antique shops, cafes, and the RSF playhouse.”

Blake Doss Cast members of the Rome Shakespeare Festival check their sound connections on the Town Green before the Wednesday, June 1, 2016, showing of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”