Favorite Color Tattoo Evan Olin, Powerline Tattoo Runner-up: Luis Bold, Unicorn Ink Favorite Black & Gray Ryan Dowden, Dark Ritual Runner-up: Luis Bold, Unicorn Ink Favorite Black & Gray with Color Steven McDonough, Secret Safe Tattoo Runner-up: Rachel WS, Rachel WS Fine Art...
By Lillian MK Photography By Olivia Lunger ...
Photo by Lillian MK Photography. Favorite Free Verse Spoken Word Ashley HosaRunner-up: Jeff Daniellian Favorite Social Justice Spoken Word Erik AndradeRunner-up: Mx Asher Favorite Youth Poet Angel CruzRunner-up: (by one vote) Josselyn Wolf Favorite Poetry Event Apothica's Monthly Poetry NightRunner-up: Afroverse Favorite...
Congratulations, you survived the record-breaking Blizzard of 2026. With the anticipated arrival of clear skies and warm temps, how will you be spending your well-earned, much-needed downtime this summer? If you’re adventurous, you could explore some of...
Artwork by Bob Eggleton. Godzilla has been a cinematic icon for over 70 years. However, there are important themes around the monster that have gotten lost with international audiences. There is no gigantic monster that has had...
Tie-dye by Spun Laundry. BEACHES Atlantic Beach Park: Family beach, amusements, kiddy rides, snack bars, antique 1915 carousel, batting cages, bumper boats, go-carts, mini golf, game room, waterslides, gift shop, beachware and an ocean-view cocktail lounge. 321...
Photos by Lillian Karboski. Every time you listen to a song, there is always something more than the words or catchy melody. On Friday, May 1, right in the heart of downtown Providence, an extraordinary group...
Okee dokee folks… Rising costs of everything is what’s on my mind this month. It really should be on everyone’s mind. The main things I will talk about here are gasoline and concert tickets. One...
Photo: Christopher Mongeau. Ravi Shavi, a band that has been around since 2011 and started as a moniker for Rafay Rashid’s music project, has evolved and become more rooted in its creative approach and performance, as...
“Can I go to X?” is the question 2 Feet 2 Bucks has answered with “Yes” dozens of times, where X = place worth going out of your way to, to take a walk, short...
Artist of the Year: Favorite Song: Favorite Music Video: NOVA ONE; "chlorine" by NOVA ONE; "chlorine" - NOVA ONE (Dir. Frankie Ferrari) nova one: “nova won!” Providence’s own nova one won (!!) four 2026 Motif Music Awards: “artist...
Photo by Matthew Murphy. The North American tour of Disney’s The Lion King last played the Providence Performing Arts Center in 2017. After nearly ten years, The Lion King is back astounding Providence for a limited...
“Judge not, that ye be not judged” (Matthew 7:1). This is the core theme behind William Shakespeare's darkest comedy, Measure for Measure, one of Shakespeare’s most exciting, underperformed and underappreciated plays, currently presented by Burbage...
Smithfield, RI: A town known for its forests, trails, ponds, and well, wealth. An unlikely location for a potential AI-Data Center, one may think. Yet, this rural community, despite data center construction being illegal under...
This is the story of visiting Providence’s newest Rotisserie and Bistro, Thermia, and being so intrigued by its menu and feeling so welcomed by the staff, that I went twice in one week! To give...
Check out extensive listings for every show we could find this season. But some are bigger or just fundamentally represent summer in our eclectic, hyperactive, tiny-yet-overachieving state. Here’s a selection of special events to keep...
“Industry wants us to believe the sky will fall if there’s reform," said Council President Rachel Miller. "But for working families, the sky is already falling..." Council President Rachel Miller (Ward 13) “In front of you is...
The eggplant piece featured on the cover of Motif is the first completed work in Chenlu Hou’s Garden series, making it a perfect fit for this issue’s theme of Summer. A low-fire terracotta sculpture, airbrushed and...
[See prior update: motifri.com/iran-war-update-01] The Iran war cannot continue as it is for much longer, and this is a result of simple math. Time is running out for energy and food supply US Consumer Price Index for All...
Voting is now closed -- Join us to see who was selected Wednesday, May 276 – 10pmMyrtle, East Providence Join us for the 4th annual Motif Spoken Awards! We are excited to be returning to Myrtle to celebrate RI’s spoken word...
Ann Morrison and Marcus Phillips in the National Tour of KIMBERLY AKIMBO. Photo by Joan Marcus KIMBERLY AKIMBO is a musical with a lot of heart, a lot of wit, and a lot of rave reviews...
Processed with VSCO with 6 preset When Steve DelMonico (vocals/guitar) approached John Faraone (drums) with an impossibly unique band name, there was no way of knowing that 10 years later they’d be sitting at Nolan’s with...
Photo: Dave Rezendes. John Faraone: a man of many bands, many instruments, and one poetic voice. While John wouldn’t call himself a poet, I certainly believe that his lyrics are simply stanzas waiting to be printed....
Photo by James Brooks. Okee dokee folks… I have referenced the Jethro Tull song, “Too Old to Rock & Roll, Too Young to Die,” A few times in my 22 years of writing for Motif, and...
(Photo credit: Keith J.G. McCurdy, from the cover art of Vudu Sister’s Adynata; photograph of the art installation LO SGUARDO - Humanitas - Physis by sculptor Igor Mitoraj at the Neopolis Archaeological Park of Siracusa...
Mount Pleasant. Elmhurst. The Valley Arts District. These are all neighborhoods whose offerings I thought I knew well, having worked in and around Providence over the last few years. But you can certainly miss a...
Buddy Mott. Once upon a time, if you wanted a tattoo, one of the things you could do was traipse to Newport from any of the four corners of the world and get yourself a tattoo...
The actual declaration of Independence was first proclaimed to the people of Newport from this building in July 1776. (Photo by Maureen O'Gorman) It doesn't take long for a person new to Rhode Island to find...
The RI Department of Transportation (RIDOT) announced a major initiative to repair potholes caused by a harsh winter. A new Pothole Service Requests Dashboard site on the web – https://www.dot.ri.gov/travel/potholes.php – allows the public to...
The tattoo artist who goes by Mish, of Fall River, MA, created this month’s cover. “I got the nickname when I was younger, and it just kinda stuck,” she says. Also, it stirs a little...
Roger Williams is often celebrated in Rhode Island as a forward-thinking pioneer who founded Providence, advocating for religious freedom and the separation of church and state. His legacy is deeply embedded in the state’s identity, with his name adorning schools, parks, and institutions. However, this portrayal obscures the significant role played by the Narragansett Indigenous […]
Silvermoon LaRose’s knowledge of Indigenous foods and foraging could fill volumes – and her ancestral knowledge is interwoven in the foraging methods she has learned from generations before her. LaRose, a citizen of the Narragansett Tribal Nation and assistant director of the Tomaquag Museum, is a storyteller, writer, and a knowledgeable teacher who offers classes […]
“People act shocked when I say I’m Native American,” says Indigenous artist Quai Perry. “When you say ‘Native American,’ most people think about the Western Tribes. They think we – the Eastern Tribes – aren’t here anymore.” Perry elaborates that the story, according to the history books, is that the Europeans came, conquered, and exterminated […]
At Providence, afternoon temperature is expected to reach as high as 80°F around 2pm on Halloween day, but for trick-or-treat in the early evening will slowly cool to 75°F by sunset at 5:38pm and further to 70°F by end of twilight at 6:08pm. Chance of precipitation will be near zero. While unlikely to break the […]
I won my only fight with “Tarzan” Brown. Or so my mother told me. I was only about three at the time, so I don’t really remember it. He was walking down Canal Street in Westerly when my parents spotted him and pulled the car over to say “Hi.” I was in my car seat […]
Rhode Island may be the smallest state, but it has a grand story to tell. It wasn’t just shaped by Roger Williams; it emerged from the contributions of diverse thinkers and pioneers. This narrative explores how different groups and their bold ideas came together to create a place where people could freely practice their beliefs […]
Get ready for a rollicking rollercoaster ride full of hilarious twists and turns! Ms. Holmes & Ms. Watson – Apt 2B, presented by Trinity Rep in a rotating repertory with POTUS, will make you laugh out loud! Come sporting your sleuth cap. Half the fun is in following the clues. It is a mystery, after […]
For years, media managers have clung to the erroneous notion that advertising sales are primarily driven by millennials, holding the mistaken belief that older consumers on fixed incomes are less receptive to purchasing new products. As a result, these media outlets — whether print or digital, broadcast, or podcast — have often provided insufficient coverage […]
Okee dokee folks… In 1974 I bought the “45” (remember those?) of the pop hit, “Rock and Roll Heaven” by The Righteous Brothers, a song written by Alan O’Day and Johnny Stevenson. I still have it … somewhere. That song popped into my head today with the passing of Kris Kristofferson. The chorus of that […]
It takes a pretty extreme college sports fan to realize that Rhode Island School of Design, one of the most prestigious art schools in the world, even has sports teams. It’s not something art schools are generally known for. But if you’ve heard of RISD’s hockey team, the Nads, you’ve likely found at least the […]
