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...
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...
Okee dokee folks… Lately I have been waking up (not that I really sleep) with an ear worm. Now let me finish before you start getting all grossed out and thinking that I have worms in my head. An ear worm is not like the parasitic worms that my cats get. It’s a song that is stuck on […]
Rebel Reef is a local company formed in October 2017 that took a good thing and made it better and then used that better thing to make a different good thing better. You following me? Let’s back up. Jenna Fontaine is a board certified massage therapist and herbalist with 20 years of experience who owns Urban […]
It started with Reefer Madness, and now there are all sorts of cannabis myths out there. So we’re on a mission to clear some of those up. CBD vs THC — Which Is Medical? Many people believe that THC is strictly the recreational form of cannabis, and CBD the only medical component. However, this couldn’t be […]
The hip-hop scene in PVD continues to bubble away into a perfect cultural concoction, and the next ingredient to add is DirtyDurdie’s next event in their “Culture Games” series. It promises to be a remedy for the boogie-down blues some of us New Englanders may be experiencing. Dirty Durdie, a hip-hop group made up of two […]
Dave’s Coffee, which is not to be confused with Dave’s Market or Dave’s Bar & Grill or Dave & Busters or Dave, the Kevin Kline movie about a president’s look-a-like, is a well-known local coffee company that you can usually find in Dave’s Market. Well, now you can also find it in Grey Sail’s Dave’s […]
Marijuana is now legal in Massachusetts. Based on recent legislative activity in Connecticut, that state may also reach legalization soon. Based on activity in RI, once thought a pretty liberal, forward-thinking state, we have a good chance of ending up the only New England state to continue prohibition. That’s not because our citizens have become […]
As the saying goes, “good fences make good neighbors.” But when it comes down to deciding the placement of said fence, with someone’s prized garden at stake, good neighbors are quick to sour. Such is the premise of Karen Zacarías’ Native Gardens, now playing at Trinity Rep. On the surface, it sounds light-hearted enough – […]
Sometimes, a spontaneous idea quickly comes together, turning into a successful business model. Christopher Langevin lost his job as a banker in 2014 and was having difficulty finding another position. His wife, Marissa, turned him onto cannabis as an alternative to mental health medications and to help him remain off alcohol. Cannabis became life-changing, […]
Recently, cannabis has been making an appearance in several state legislations. In January, Vermont became the first state to legalize adult-use cannabis through legislation. Maine’s House endorsed a bill to set regulatory guidelines for the state’s new recreational law, which, while it still needs approval from both chambers of legislation, stands a very good chance […]
For the 10th consecutive year, Southeast New England (SENE) Film, Music and Arts Festival will entertain Rhode Islanders with its assortment of creative productions. SENE will start April 24 and run through the 28th, taking place across the state in various venues. The five venues for this year’s festival are Columbus Theatre and Rhodywood Studios in […]
