The local arts community suffered an unexpected and tragic loss recently with the passing from sudden illness of Kayla St. George, 39. Many knew Kayla as one of the leaders and a former director of operations of the Providence Drum Troupe, under the stage name / nickname “Fife,” and the troupe held a memorial in […]
There’s something wonderful about talking to film students because you can usually pinpoint the exact moment when movies stopped being simply entertainment and started becoming something much more meaningful. For Robert Blue IV, that moment arrived courtesy of giant alien robots. As a kid, he sat down with his dad to watch Transformers. He was […]
The Rhode Island International Film Festival, also known as Flickers, took place August 4 through August 9, bringing filmmakers, actors, industry professionals, and film lovers from around the world to the Ocean State. This year’s festival received more than 7,000 submissions representing over 100 countries. Selected films screened at venues throughout Rhode Island, including the […]
I think museums and the culture around them have historically gotten a bad rap. When you think of museums, you might associate them with classism, inaccessibility, and wealthy donors and patrons. There’s also the issue of who decides which art is displayed and whose history is deemed valuable enough to preserve. So when I came […]
On August 12, Motif cohosted a forum on the Arts in Providence featuring Democratic Primary Mayoral candidates Brett Smiley and David Morales. In Providence, the real election typically happens in the primary. The winner will go on to face David Tenet (R) and Allen Waters (I) in the general election, but Providence is a determinedly […]
For the cover of Motif’s Fall Guide, painter and muralist Nicholas “Niko” Tolentino of Cranston drew inspiration from his childhood days, he relates in an interview at White Electric Coffee Co-Op in Providence. Roger Williams Park in PVD was practically in his backyard. He loved to jump a fence and get to the gazebo behind […]
I found NecronomiCon, the Lovecraft convention in Providence, wildly entertaining for several reasons. First, I thoroughly enjoyed how spread out the event was. Activities, panels, concerts, and a vendor floor were distributed across multiple buildings and properties. The weather was beautiful, and it was wonderful to spot fellow attendees throughout the city wearing their lanyards, […]
Stepping into a tattoo convention without a tattoo or an array of piercings can be intimidating, like stepping into a gallery show without reading the title first. Aside from a pair of basic ear studs, my own skin is a blank canvas, but as an artist and art educator, I don’t look at the world […]
August 12, 6:30 – 8:30 PM Southside Cultural Center – 393 Broad Street, Providence What do the candidates for Mayor of Providence have in mind for the future of arts engagement in the “Creative Capital”? Find out straight from the Democratic Primary candidates Brett Smiley and David Morales, at Motif’s first political forum, where local […]
The Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival returns August 4 – 9, bringing over 300 films across the globe to nine venues in Rhode Island. Recognized as one of the top film festivals in the US, RIIFF received more than 7,000 submissions for its 2026 festival, celebrating the event’s 30th year. The festival has built […]