Artists Collaborative Opening in Warren

The Collaborative, a new artists collective in Warren, is having an open house on Sunday, March 13 to mark their grand opening.

The Collaborative was founded by local artist Adam Tracy, director of the La Salle Scholars Program Jeff Danielian and Rhode Island College Professor of Film Uriah Donnelly. For the moment, The Collaborative is a gallery space showcasing seven local artists, including one Tiverton High School Student. Donnelly says that the artists involved are mostly a group of friends, but that they have already had other artists reach out to them, looking to get involved.

While the work that will be showcased at the open house is mostly paintings and mixed media, they hope to use the space to feature a wide variety of forms, with physical space being the only limitation. While there is no specific vibe that the gallery is going for, Donnelly says they will move away from “classic” art, and that it will be “edgier than you might see at other places.”

The Collaborative is also hoping to extend beyond being a gallery space. Donnelly said that the idea really came out of seeing a lot of young people who were struggling artists living in Warren and recognizing “a need for a place for folks to get together.”

One way they would like to foster community is through partnerships with local schools, perhaps in the form of workshops and other arts education. They would also like to have a featured “Student Artist of the Month,” as a way of encouraging young artists by bringing them into a larger community and providing space to display their art. The Collaborative would also like to bring in speakers around topics such as grant-writing, accounting, and other skills useful to artists, but not always easy to learn about.

While funding for The Collaborative is currently tenuous, Donnelly insists that they are “figuring it out.” They have applied for various grants and are hoping to get funding through partnerships with local businesses. Also, the open house should bring in some funds through donations, and through a raffle and a silent auction.

The Open House on March 13 will celebrate the opening with refreshments and live music by Atwater-Donnelly, Josh Grabert of Torn Shorts and another band to be announced. It will take place at 498 Main Street, Warren.

Photos by Janet Moscarello Photography