Hunter Brown, Allie Seibold, and Seth Eliser in You've Still Got a Friend, playing at Bill Hanney's Theatre By The Sea from August 20 - September 13, 2026. Photo by Michael Derr Okee dokee folks… Tonight, at Theatre By The...
Photo by Steve Ahlquist. The unionized workers of the Community Libraries of Providence have been without a contract for two years now. Their patience, which had been wearing thin, was stretched to the breaking point by...
Photo: L-R: Pénélope Rose, Manya Glassman, Emeline Easton, and K. Elisa Garcia. by Mike Ryan. The Rhode Island International Film Festival, also known as Flickers, took place August 4 through August 9, bringing filmmakers, actors, industry...
I think museums and the culture around them have historically gotten a bad rap. When you think of museums, you might associate them with classism, inaccessibility, and wealthy donors and patrons. There’s also the issue...
As the leaves change to amber hues, so do fall beers. Our local brewers are excited about the opportunity to offer these loved styles of craft beer. If you are looking forward to cozy sweaters...
Illustration by Sadie Levine. 1. Adams Farm (pumpkins, hay rides, corn mazes) Plus: Variety fall farm stand 158 Burnt Swamp Road, Cumberland 401-714-4425 2. Appleland Orchard (apples) Plus: Cider, wine, and donuts 135 Smith Avenue, Greenville 401-949-3690 3. Barden Family Orchard (apples, pumpkins) Plus: Farmers...
Okee dokee folks… I just realized that I have been attending concerts for 50 years now. In that span of time I have seen countless shows. I honestly have no idea how many I have...
Moon Leone didn’t set out to make your run-of-the-mill pop songs. They build whole worlds, embodying different characters and using visuals to tell stories that ultimately help people heal from trauma. Performing as YourFriendM00n, they...
On August 12, Motif cohosted a forum on the Arts in Providence featuring Democratic Primary Mayoral candidates Brett Smiley and David Morales. In Providence, the real election typically happens in the primary. The winner will go...
Every election cycle, Motif brings you the candidates in their own words so you can try to compare apples to apples. It’s our way of contributing to the political process while not having the fact-checking...
Environmental Organizations Endorse Foulkes for Governor PROVIDENCE — The Providence Streets Coalition, a grassroots activist organization devoted to increasing funding, safety, and reliability in the state’s transit network, announced July 21 that it is backing former...
For the cover of Motif’s Fall Guide, painter and muralist Nicholas “Niko” Tolentino of Cranston drew inspiration from his childhood days, he relates in an interview at White Electric Coffee Co-Op in Providence. Roger Williams Park...
Centerville Bank Stadium in Pawtucket hosted its first live music event in August. It started big with the Island Roads Fest, featuring popular reggae/ rock bands including Sublime, Slightly Stoopid, Iration, Action Bronson, DENM, Bumpin...
Stepping into a tattoo convention without a tattoo or an array of piercings can be intimidating, like stepping into a gallery show without reading the title first. Aside from a pair of basic ear studs,...
August 12, 6:30 - 8:30 PM Southside Cultural Center - 393 Broad Street, Providence What do the candidates for Mayor of Providence have in mind for the future of arts engagement in the “Creative Capital”? Find...
Heat Advisory in effect from August 6, 11:00 AM EDT until August 7, 08:00 PM EDT At Providence, a Heat Advisory is effective Thu, Aug 6, 11am, to Fri, Aug 7, 8pm. Afternoon temperatures/heat indices are...
Can art by Joey Visco Dogs and drafts? Is there any better way to celebrate yappy hour? If you are an animal and craft beer lover, this is an event you do not want to miss!...
Photo by Sindayiganza Photography. The FIFA World Cup tournament was full of thrills, drama, chaos, unity, and live television shots of devastated children in tears after their team lost a heartbreaking match. The final whistle brought...
Matthew Provençal as Thomas Andrews in ‘Titanic: The Broadway Musical’ at Bill Hanney's Theatre By The Sea July 23 – August 15, 2026. Photo by Mark Turek. The challenge to staging a production of “Titanic: The...
The Tattoo Awards featured a gallery wall populated by local artists. Here is a selection of the artwork on display! By Brianne Elizabeth @foxhallowart By Victori Leo Riel Grab Your Heart & Go by Allie Boyer @peaceflowercreations MONSTROELIZASUE by...
Photo by Jess Lee Images. I met Lily Spencer in an acting class taught by Eric Lutes, whom many television fans will remember from the 1990s sitcom “Caroline in the City.” Eric, who now lives in...
Rachel WS. Favorite Animal/ Favorite Floral Tara D’Agostino – Iron Lion Tattoo By the numbers, Tara D’Agostino got her first tattoo at the age of 15, picked up her own tattoo machine at the age of 19, opened...
Photo by Jillian Clark. There’s no feeling quite like finally being able to fully step into your own, to truly embrace your whole self and carry yourself through the world with that mentality. Not an identity...
Kai Nanfelt. Okee dokee folks… Last weekend I went on a ten-hour, each way, road trip to play a show. The drive wasn’t so bad, but the music was horrible. As I have mentioned before, I...
Photo by Isaac Laliberte Wards 2, 9 and 12 all report the same. Mendez wins in each! It appeared that Providence was perfectly poised to usher-in its first female mayor in history. The polls were closed and...
“You’re late, Brother,” she said, hovering outside the weathered cottage near a pebbly beach, indistinguishable from the shadows cast by moonlight that hit the thick hydrangeas. It was late in the evening of a seawind-chilled...
The NecronomiCon is a biennial celebration of the works of HP Lovecraft and beyond, and throughout the genre of “weird fiction.” Centered in downtown Providence, it boasts four days of literary panels, readings from various...
It’s almost Cthulhu – pardon my hiccup, I meant, “election” – season again. And if the tactics of these times don’t make your head swim and your bowls ache, as if you were being eviscerated...
When cover artist Bob Eggleton of Warwick first got interested in art and started sketching nightmarish creatures, he recalls, an aunt asked him, “What’s drawing a monster gonna get you in life?” He’s spent the last...
Skyler Shields (Kenickie) and the cast of the Theatre By The Sea (Wakefield, RI) production of “Grease” running thru July 18, 2026. Photo by Mark Turek. “A-wop-bop-a-loo-bop! A-wop-bam-boom!” BY ALISON O’DONNELL ON JUNE 27, 2026 Grease is the...
When I learned the theme was punk and that Mr. Black would be the spotlight liqueur, I immediately began thinking about how to create a cocktail that felt truly subversive. My first instinct was to make an espresso martini, but instead of following that obvious inclination, I opted for something unexpected – a refreshing coffee […]
Providence, Rhode Island is about to welcome an exciting new culinary destination with the opening of Track 15 on March 18, 2025. This ambitious project, spearheaded by Chris Marsella, of Marsella Development Corporation and Marsella Properties LLC, aims to revitalize the downtown area with a vibrant food hall that celebrates the local community. With over […]
In celebration of Women’s History Month, I am spotlighting a culinary trailblazer who’s adding her own special flavor to Rhode Island’s food scene. On Hope Street in Providence, something extraordinary is happening. Chef Milena Pagán, the vibrant force behind Little Sister restaurant, is cooking up more than just delicious food — she’s serving heritage, independence, […]
Okee dokee folks… I have been noticing a trend with folks who go out to shows; their “pop-up timers” have been going off at 9:30. At first I thought it was just older folks who retreated back to their couches at that time, but then I realized it was people of all ages. What is […]
Since March is Women’s History Month, it seemed appropriate to highlight some stellar female artists making their mark on the local music scene. Bee and The Boys Fronted by vocalist Belinda Landry, Bee and The Boys is a four-piece group who have been making their way around southern RI for the past year, playing crowd-favorite […]
Elon Musk has asked us to forward the following email to all Motif readers: Please tell us what you have read in the past week. If you have not read enough of Motif’s content, you will no longer be allowed to read Motif. To quote my boss, “You’re Fired.” We declined to email y’all. We […]
One of the first articles I wrote for Motif, years ago, was a review of Heather Rigney’s debut novel, Waking the Merrow. I was immediately locked into the humorous story of Evie McFadden and Nomia, her mermaid nemesis. The Pawtuxet Village setting gave a sense of familiarity that enhanced my enjoyment. Rigney followed that up […]
The city of Providence has released a new Life at Night Report that examines the after-hours economy in PVD (see our article from last issue at motifri.com/brettsbillion-dollar-bulletin-the-life-at-night-report). The report was developed over recent years through the Department of Arts, Culture, Tourism (ACT). Joe Wilson Jr, former Trinity Rep actor and director, and current director of […]
In her book of ant poetry, Sawako Nakayasu, an artist and professor at Brown University, describes keeping ants close to her heart, from both metaphorical and literal perspectives. Ants have been close to my heart for years, and as we move through women’s history month, we wanted to highlight the work and legacies of some […]
Entering New Age Barbering Co. at 8 Freebody St in Newport comes with a feeling of relief that many women wish was more familiar to barbershops everywhere. Rather than walking into obnoxious chatter and intimidation, I was greeted with soft music and a cozy waiting room that immediately quelled my anxieties about entering such a […]
