Artscape

The First Works Summer Beats concert series takes place at Roger Williams Park this summer with a variety of acts performing at the Boathouse Lawn every other week. This Friday, you can see The William Cepeda and Elio Villafranca jazz Sextet in a performance called “Merging Roots,” a collaboration exploring the shared African roots between Cuba, Puerto Rico and New Orleans. Morning host Luis Hernandez spoke with them for this week’s show. Programming note: Artscape will be taking a break, so this is the last episode you'll hear for a while. But in the meantime, we’ll still be bringing you stories on arts and culture throughout the week. You can find our coverage at thepublicsradio.org/arts. The post ‘Merging Roots’: Combining Cuban, Puerto Rican, and New Orleans jazz at Summer Beats appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio.

Imagine if you could be the greatest in the world at anything, but, it would come at a cost: you’d have to sell your soul to the devil. That’s the story of the show “¡Que Diablos! Fausto,” a bilingual adaptation of Christopher Marlowe’s play, “Doctor Faustus.” The show is part of the 10th anniversary production for Teatro en El Verano, a collaboration between Rhode Island Latino Arts and Trinity Repertory Company. The Public’s Radio Morning Host Luis Hernandez talked with Jesús Valles, the playwright who created the adaptation, and Marta Martinez, community program administrator, activist and historian at Rhode Island Latino Arts. The post Teatro en El Verano explores the ultimate bargain in ‘¡Que Diablos! Fausto,’ a bilingual ‘Doctor Faustus’ appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio.

This week, we bring you a live performance and interview with Rhode Island psychedelic soul artist Melo Green. It’s part of Ocean State Sessions, a collaboration with our colleagues at Rhode Island PBS. Artscape editor Mareva Lindo spoke with Melo Green earlier this year at Big Nice Studio in Lincoln, R.I., where he and his band performed three songs from his latest album “Laminar Flow.” The post Ocean State Session: The psychedelic soul of Melo Green appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio.

Every year, the James Beard Foundation recognizes exceptional restaurants and chefs throughout the country, one of the highest honors in the culinary field. Earlier this week, they announced this year’s winners. Sky Hanuel Kim, the chef at Gift Horse in Providence, won “Best Chef Northeast.” The win came just a year after Kim was a semifinalist for “best emerging chef.” I visited Sky Kim at her restaurant, Gift Horse, shortly after she was named a semifinalist in 2024. The post Sky Kim wins ‘Best Chef Northeast’ for her locally-inspired Korean cuisine appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio.

A local artist poses the question “WTF Can Artists Do During a Fascist Takeover?” - that’s the title of a new web comic by Providence-based artist, educator and organizer Jordan Seaberry. He joined me in the studio to talk about the inspiration of the comic and his advice for artists. Plus: The latest plays on now at Trinity Rep and the Gamm Theatre. The post Providence artist Jordan Seaberry asks: ‘WTF Can Artists Do During a Fascist Takeover?’ appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio.

This week on Artscape, producer James Baumgartner and editor Mareva Lindo highlight a few of their favorite festivals coming up this summer, from Providence Porchfest to New Bedford's Roots & Branches Festival. The post 12 summer festivals to check out in Rhode Island and the South Coast  appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio.

This year marks the 35th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which protects people with disabilities from discrimination in areas such as employment, education, and public accommodations. A new documentary tells the emotional story of the activists that led the determined effort to achieve equality and accessibility that culminated in the passage of the ADA. It’s called Change, Not Charity: The Americans with Disabilities Act, and it’s being screened today at the Westerly Library. The project was led by Westerly film producer and director Hilary Steinman The post New documentary tells the emotional story of the people who worked for decades to pass the ADA appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio.

This week, we’re highlighting two exhibits in Newport: “Sean Landers: Lost at Sea” at the Newport Art Museum, and “Newport 1775: Whose Side Are You On?” at the Newport Historical Society. The post Loyalists, Patriots and a colossal plaid whale in Newport appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio.

Back in the 1970s, ‘80s, and ‘90s in Providence, Leo’s bar and restaurant was an institution and a pioneer in the city’s Jewelry District, known for its support of local artists, and its eclectic clientele, late hours, and great food. And the man behind it all was John Rector. John passed away March 6 at the age of 75. When she heard the news, Artscape editor Mareva Lindo started asking around to see who might want to talk with us about John and the bar. And people came out of the woodwork. So many people wanted to share their memories about John, and that time and place. Now we bring you but a slice of what they all had to say about John Rector and Leo’s. The post ‘Food, art, lawmakers, politicians, law breakers’: Remembering John Rector and Leo’s bar appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio.

As we move closer to summer, we edge closer to the first WaterFire lighting ceremony of the year. It will take place at the end of the month. WaterFire Providence is going through some changes. This year they named Mark Allan as the interim Executive Director. We'll talk with him about the future of WaterFire. Plus: ArtWeek SouthCoast runs from May 8th to May 18th and offers more than 50 different experiences all over Bristol County, Massachusetts. We talk with two of the event organizers. The post New leader at WaterFire hopes to be a bridge to the future appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio.

There’s a painting on display right now in the Rhode Island Statehouse that tells an important tale of American history: It’s the story of the 1st Rhode Island Regiment — a military regiment composed mostly of Black enlistees. The painting is called “Brave Men as Ever Fought.” It’s by historical military artist Don Troiani. Morning host Luis Hernandez talked with Ray Rickman, the co-founder of the non-profit Stages of Freedom, which addresses racial inequities in Rhode Island, and Rhode Island Secretary of State Gregg Amore. The post ‘Brave Men as Ever Fought’: Painting depicts the story of Black Revolutionary War soldiers in R.I.  appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio.

On this week’s show: A profile of artist Ian Cozzens. Cozzens moved to Providence in 1999, and quickly started making screen prints for bands, art gallery shows, and community events. He also documented the buildings of Providence, using his architectural training to depict a half-demolished mill in Eagle Square and the three smokestacks of a power station on the Providence River. Since then, he moved on to screen prints depicting a single word, including “dissonance” and “QUEERS!” His latest installation at Angell Street Galleries is called “Reality.” Also, Barnaby Evans and Emily Gray from WaterFire Providence remember the life and work of Rhode Island painter Gretchen Dow Simpson. On this week’s show: A profile of artist Ian Cozzens. Cozzens moved to Providence in 1999, and quickly started making screen prints for bands, art gallery shows, and community events. He also documented the buildings of Providence, using his architectural training to depict a half-demolished mill in Eagle Square and the three smokestacks of a power station on the Providence River. Since then, he moved on to screen prints depicting a single word, including “dissonance” and “QUEERS!” His latest installation at Angell Street Galleries is called “Reality.” Also, Barnaby Evans and Emily Gray from WaterFire Providence remember the life and work of Rhode Island painter Gretchen Dow Simpson. The post Dissonance, queer culture, and Providence architecture in artist Ian Cozzens’ prints appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio.

Kwame Dawes is a poet, actor and musician whose work is shaped by a journey that started in Ghana, where he was born, all the way to Jamaica, where he was raised. Dawes, who joined the staff at Brown University in 2024, was recently named the poet laureate for Jamaica. Morning host Luis Hernandez spoke with Dawes about his journey, his poetry, what it means to be a poet laureate, and the current environment on college campuses. The post Meet Kwame Dawes, Brown University professor and new poet laureate of Jamaica appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio.

Can you name five women artists? That’s the question posed by Erin L. McCutcheon, as part of a course she teaches as assistant professor of arts of the Americas at University of Rhode Island. In her work as an art historian, researcher and teacher, she aims to raise the profile of women artists. And she was recently appointed to the Committee on Women in the Arts for the College Arts Association. The post Most people can’t name five women artists. URI art historian wants to change that appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio.

There are two plays on now in Providence that start with a work of Shakespeare and then take it in a new direction: “Fat Ham” at the Wilbury Theatre Group, and “La Tempestad — The Tempest” at Trinity Rep. Artscape producer James Baumgartner spoke with the plays’ directors for this week’s show. The post Re-envisioning Shakespearean classics: ‘Fat Ham’ and ‘La Tempestad’ appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio.

Every January, Italian American families in Westerly, Rhode Island gather together to start making soupy, a dry-cured pork sausage that’s specific to the town. A new film called “Westerly’s Gold: Sweet, Spicy, and Full of Tradition” documents the process and stories of the families who’ve been making the local delicacy for decades. The post ‘Westerly’s Gold’: New documentary tells the story of soupy sausage appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio.

In a few minutes, we’ll hear about the new documentary “Secret Mall Apartment” that will be screening at the Providence Place Mall. But first, I recently visited the studio of artist, fishmonger, knifemaker, and North Providence resident Joyce Kutty. Her studio in an old Fall River textile mill has several workbenches filled with neatly arranged tools, a band saw, and a sketchbook. There’s a woodblock print on the wall that has three women hammering an anvil. And in one corner, there’s a large pot, slowly simmering. The post Meet knifemaker, artist and fishmonger Joyce Kutty appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio.

This is The Public’s Radio, I’m James Baumgartner. At a time when the longstanding friendship between the US and Canada is fraught with a trade war sparked by the Trump administration, a Rhode Island museum is mounting a celebration of the Ocean State’s ties with French Canadian culture. It’s called “La Francophonie”. In this week’s Artscape segment, reporter David Wright sat down with Anne Conway, Director of the Museum of Work & Culture in Woonsocket. The post Series explores French cultural influence in Rhode Island appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio.

Brutalism had its heyday 60 years ago, but this polarizing style of architecture is back in the spotlight. At the Oscars, Adrien Brody won Best Actor for his performance of a Brutalist architect. In Washington, President Trump has re-issued an executive order deploring Brutalism. And in southeastern Massachusetts, our reporter Ben Berke brings us this story about a Brutalist college campus designed by a celebrated architect whose buildings are disappearing across the country. The post UMass Dartmouth’s $660 million problem: preserving its Brutalist campus appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio.

Providence's historic Union Station was once a hub for 14 intercity train tracks, a crucial stop in southern New England that helped the city’s jewelry, textile and machinery industries thrive. In just a few weeks, it’ll be home to Track 15: a food hall and plaza that will feature local chefs offering everything from Indian plates to Mexican fare. Morning host Luis Hernandez met with developer Chris Marsella in January at the construction site behind the building which currently houses our studio and the Rhode Island Foundation. It will soon be the home of Track 15. The post Track 15 food hall will transform Union Station with 7 new restaurants appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio.