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...
Maybe you’re looking around your dated kitchen with its ugly wood cabinets and thinking, “If only I could afford a remodel.” The good news? You can paint those ugly cabinets yourself for short money. But the bad news is that the process is not as easy as those gorgeous blonde YouTubers clad in tight-fitting jeans and […]
I guess anything goes in this new topsy-turvy world where a press secretary for the president can hide in the bushes and not be fired so fast his $5,000 wingtips fly off. And apparently, in that same topsy-turvy world there is a beer made with kiwi and hibiscus and it’s produced by, of course, Dogfish Head. […]
When I walked into the ice cream parlor on the corner of Ives and Williams St one cool spring morning, it looked like what you’d expect from an ice cream shop: coolers, tables, napkins for spillage and amusing local kitsch on the walls. There’s a purple ice cream truck parked in the street outside. Looks are […]
It’s 9:30 on a Wednesday night and I’m in a dimly lit room sitting at a table on the second floor of the Columbus Theatre. A classical music piece plays over the sound system. In front of me, a 20-something man pretends to be tied down to an invisible wall with invisible rope to experience unknown pleasures, […]
Gallery Night Providence is one of those Providence activities everyone in the city should do at least once. It’s charming and pleasant and fun, and shows a side of our city you might not otherwise realize has been here all along, existing in the cracks between most citygoers’ daily experiences, coffee runs and commutes. If […]
Spring is here and housecleaning is in order. While you are shaking out the carpets and vacuuming the drapes, don’t forget to give your vagina a good steaming. V-steaming, the latest fad to hit Beverly Hills, has roots in an ancient cleansing and fertility ritual. Known as “chai-yok” by Korean healers and as “bajos” (“down […]
Aries: You’re entering a busy period where you find yourself dealing with troublesome neighbors, talkative friends and disruptions in your routine. Throw that plan or schedule out the window and go with the flow. Expect some opposition to your new and innovative ideas. Use charm and diplomacy to get your point across. Taurus: The big question […]
The Steel Yard, located in the industrial valley of Providence, allows aspiring artists or anyone who wants to learn something new to take classes in many different art and technical programs as a way of fulfilling its goal: to create a community where individuals can practice arts with others. I had the pleasure of sitting […]
So you want to build some furniture but have no idea what you’re doing? No worries! Let’s build the simplest project out there, but one that nearly everyone needs — bookshelves. First, you need to start with good wood. It’s gotta be straight and flat. This is very important! Curved or twisted boards will […]
After a number of years as part of the August Foo Fest, the Rhode Island Mini-Maker Faire (MMF) is moving to the June PVD Fest, still in close collaboration with local arts collective AS220. Among other changes, the move allows MMF to expand its hours; the event now runs from 1 – 8pm on Saturday, June […]
