St Ann Arts and Cultural Center

The St. Ann Arts and Cultural Center (SAACC) is a non-religiously affiliated, non-profit corporation dedicated to the preservation and restoration of the former St. Ann's Roman Catholic Church building located at 84 Cumberland Street, in Woonsocket, RI. It is a recognized Nonprofit 501(c)(3) and Public Charity 509(a)(2) organization. The Center's mission is to develop multiple venues of adaptive reuse for this endangered and irreplaceable, artistic and historical asset, thereby ensuring its preservation while creating a wonderful resource for the surrounding communities.

The St. Ann's Roman Catholic Church building was built between 1913 and 1917 by French Canadian immigrants to serve the religious & social needs of the Catholic community. Built in modern French Renaissance style, the building exhibits all of the rich classical details of Romanesque archintecture. In the 1920's, over 40 stained glass windows, designed and produced by French artists, were installed.

The interior walls, vaults, and ceilings of the church were completely covered in fresco paintings by Guido Nincheri, a native of Florence, in the style made famous by Michelangelo and Raphael. In many ways, the themes and extent of the paintings are reminiscent of those in the Sistine Chapel in Rome.

In the year 2000 the Diocese of Providence announced it would close St. Ann's Church due to a dwindling number of parishioners and rising maintenance costs of the building. In fear that this artistic and historic landmark building might be destroyed, a small but determined group of concerned individuals formed to save the building. In the process they incorporated as the St. Ann Arts & Cultural Center. They then began to lease the building from the Diocese. After six years of leasing the building to the organization for its use, in September, 2007 the Diocese of Providence turned ownership of the building over to the nonprofit group for its permanent use as an arts and cultural center. From its inception, the Center has been a valuable resource to the surrounding communities. Today it continues to expand its programming and offerings to the public, while striving to preserve and maintain this impressive and beautiful national historic landmark.