2026 Tattoo Awards Photos

By Olivia Lunger By Lillian MK Photography ...

2026 Tattoo Awards Winners

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...

2026 Spoken Awards Photos

By Lillian MK Photography By Olivia Lunger ...

Spoken Award Winners 2026

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...

SUMMER THEATER PREVIEW: There’s no shortage of summertime fare at R.I. community theaters and professional playhouses 

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...

Godzilla: 70 Years of Fame, Misunderstandings, & Property Damage

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...

Summer Fun Map

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...

OEight at Track 15

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...

Roots Report

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...

Wild Rock Dove: The new Ravi Shavi record and its want to “Misbehave”

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...

Why ask Can You Go Home?

“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...

2026 Music Award Winner Writeups

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...

The Wait Is Over … Disney’s The Lion King returns to the Providence Performing Arts Center 

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...

MEASURE FOR MEASURE: What Would You Wouldn’t Do?

“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...

Town Hall Unites Community: Everyone hates an AI data center

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...

Mindfully Thermia: How a new local restaurant inspires its patrons to take it slow 

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...

Summer is Happening: Here's what you don't want to miss

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...

Rent Destabilization: Providence City Council fails to override Mayor Smiley's rent stabilization veto, but the fight is not over

“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...

ON THE COVER: Chenlu Hou

 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...

News Analysis – Iran War Update: The world faces deadlines only weeks away

[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...

MOTIF’S 2026 RI SPOKEN AWARDS

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...

KIMBERLY AKIMBO is Playing at PPAC Now Through May 10 and It May Just Be “Your New Favorite Musical” (Hollywood Reporter)

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...

A Time Capsule from the 90s in 2026: ‘92 Winona and their Punk Inspiration 

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...

John Faraone's Newest Record, The Waves: How his kid brain allowed for the art of self-expression  

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....

Roots Report

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...

Impossible Tasks: On fifth album, Adynata, Vudu Sister burnishes hope in the darkness

(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...

You Don’t Have To Go Far: Providence’s Gallery Night shows the art was here all along

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...

MAKING POINTS WITH THE MOTTS

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...

First things first: Rhode Island's 250th anniversary on May 4 celebrates something important, we just aren't sure what.

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...

Pothole Construction Season a Sign of Spring: RI DOT seeks public help finding where to repair

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...

Stuff to Do

A Treat of a Show!: Over the River leaves audiences wanting more

If you’ve never been to the Attleboro Community Theatre, you’re in for a treat — literally! When you walk in, you’re immediately greeted by the theater’s executive board members, including President Jeanne Smith and Treasurer Douglas Begin. One of them will escort you to a good-sized sitting area where you can enjoy a number of […]

Read More

Sunflower Years: Calendar Girls celebrates friendship and female empowerment

They’re not the pin-ups you’d expect to see adorning the pages of a calendar, but the women of Yorkshire’s Women’s Institute bare all for a worthy cause. Calendar Girls, currently being performed by Pawtucket’s Community Players under the direction of Pamela Jackson, is the stage adaptation of the 2003 film starring Helen Mirren and Julie […]

Read More

Angélique Kidjo Raises Voices in the Light: The artist reimagines The Talking Heads’ album at The Vets

African pop star, international world-music sensation and 2020 Grammy winner Angélique Kidjo is returning to Providence on Saturday (Feb 22) to perform her reimagining of Remain in the Light, the landmark album by RI-conceived band The Talking Heads. Kidjo has visited Providence before, performing in Kennedy Plaza as part of a FirstWorks event that was […]

Read More

What Looks Like a Cage on an Ordinary Day: Edward Albee’s At Home at the Zoo at Psych Drama Company

“You have everything in the world you want; you’ve told me about your home, and your family, and your own little zoo.” – Edward Albee, Zoo Story In 2004, Edward Albee added a prequel to his iconic 1959 play, “The Zoo Story.” Rarely ever has a playwright been able to make such a large adjustment […]

Read More

Natural Shocks: lets slip the cute little pet dogs of war

This is not a theater review. Kelly Robertson performed the one-woman show Natural Shocks by Lauren Gunderson, directed by Erin Cawley, for a single sold-out night at Wilbury Group on Feb 18. Robertson has demonstrated impressive ability on stage, as I’ve noted previously in such shows as Accidental Death of an Anarchist by Dario Fo […]

Read More

One-Stop-Shop Health: The Blackstone Valley Community Health Center continues to thrive

Since its opening in June, the Blackstone Valley Community Health Center, a “one stop shop” for people’s medical needs, has been steadily working toward its goal to serve the entire Central Falls population (roughly 20,000 people); as of this writing, it has seen 13,000 people. In one place, people can receive mental health care, physical […]

Read More

Free Spirit: Yagi Noodles’ spirit-free libations bring one-of-a-kind beverages to Newport

Yagi Noodles is Newport’s coolest new ramen spot — a pop-up restaurant by Chef Basil Yu, who’s bringing his own creative spin on Asian cuisine to Newport, with a rad menu featuring bowls of freshly prepared whole wheat Japanese ramen noodles in savory broths, Rhode Island-meets-China lobster bao buns and shareable small plates. While the […]

Read More