Blaq Sav. Photos by Lillian MK Photography. Favorite Free Verse Spoken Word 2026 Ashley Hosa Sending out a big congrats to Ashley Hosa, who came to the Spoken Awards with a multitude of wonderful supporters (shoutout to Ryan!)....
The founder of the long-standing hipster-ish West Side restaurant Julians hadn’t been involved directly with the restaurant in quite some time. But his legacy persisted. A larger-than-life personality, you never knew at what event Julian...
Renowned supporter of local music and arts Lisa Gourley (Sometimes Lisa Gourleyx) passed away on June 15. Reading reactions on social media, you can’t help but notice how often the words “nice,” “kind,” and “photography”...
This beautiful Solstice moment, June 21, 2026 brings the winds of change into our lives. The pivotal points among the planetary movers and shakers of the Zodiac find Gemini, with Uranus and Ceres, reaching across...
By Olivia Lunger By Lillian MK Photography ...
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...
We sat down a few months ago with one of the organizers of RI’s Deportation Defense Line. The Defense Line’s origins are organic and multifaceted. No one person is in charge of it. No one...
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...
On Saturday, October 8, the world can be your “oyster” if you visit the 8th annual Ocean State Oyster Festival. Take in the sights, eat some delicious oysters, maybe take a “shell-fie” or two. If you have “oyster” matters to attend to on that date, well it “shucks” to be you. I’ll “clam” up with […]
The Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular returns to Roger Williams Park Zoo from September 29 – October 31. This year will celebrate 75 years of television, featuring carvings from iconic shows and magical moments in broadcast history. There will also be pumpkins commemorating the 150th anniversary of the zoo. The annual event will bring approximately 6,000 pumpkins and […]
The Ocean State knows exactly how to spice up the fall season. While the leaves brown and fall to the ground, RI gets busy. The summer is great for leisure, taking that extra day off to go to the beach or sipping Del’s lemonade, but as it comes to an end you might find yourself […]
APPLE PICKING Barden Family Orchard 56 Elmdale Rd, North Scituate401-934-1413 Bascombe Farm5 Old West Wrentham Rd, Cumberland401-658-1962 Harmony Farms387 Sawmill Rd, North Scituate401-934-0741 Jaswell’s Farm50 Swan Rd, Smithfield401-231-9043 Leach Farm and Orchard 147 Austin Ave, Greenville401-862-5156 Narrow Lane Orchard 213 Narrow Lane, North Kingstown401-294-3584 Steere Orchard150 Austin Ave, Greenville401-949-1456 Rocky Brook Orchard997 Wapping Rd, Middletown401-851-7989 […]
Autumn is my favorite time of year. The cool weather, colorful leaves, and fewer bugs make it a great time to be outdoors, and as few places in the world get colorful displays like we get in New England it is one of the things that makes this a special place to be. Leaves are […]
There’s nothing more beautiful than autumn in Rhode Island. Picture it: You’re wrapped in a cozy sweater, walking through the woods, gazing at the foliage, with a box of fresh cider donuts in one hand and your iced coffee in the other. For a little state, Rhode Island has no shortage of lovely hiking spots, […]
Recently I stood in line at the Ace Hardware by Shaw’s and people in front of me talked about how America was “going to hell in a handbasket.” One person said it was because Congress is full of attorneys and, “Attorneys have never worked a day in their life.” To which another responded, “That’s what […]
The concept of StoryFest 2022 was born during a conversation between Mark Binder and Bill Harley, both of whom are performers and authors with impressive rap sheets. So what is StoryFest exactly? “It’s really just a celebration of people getting together and enjoying stories.” Binder says, “And if you’ve never seen world class storytelling, this […]
Motif has been publishing “In Their Own Words” each election cycle for the past 8 years, and readers have told us they find it useful. We edit responses for punctuation and spelling. Little changes are made to conserve space – for example, we usually replace Rhode Island with RI. We reached out to every candidate, […]
Is a small group of radical environmentalists really seeking to undermine the rule of well-to-do senior citizens and their liberal neighbors? With all the NIMBY controversy surrounding the upcoming “Hope Street Temporary Trail,” you’d think they were constructing a prison. From October 1-8, a temporary, two-way “Urban Trail” will be constructed on the east side […]
