In these days of social distancing and social unrest, public art has made a resurgence. During these trying times many have tapped their creativity, and what better and more positive way to address the issues we face today then through public art.

Right here in the Blackstone Valley Riverzedge Arts, since 2002, has been at the forefront in public art in Woonsocket as a means of engaging and empowering our youth to make their voices heard.

In keeping with the theme of the socially distancing drive-in concept, the youth artists of Riverzedge Arts present “Everything Equal,” a large-scale, outdoor drive-through installation of artwork expressing what social justice and equity mean to them in their community of Woonsocket. The exhibition will run from August 21 to September 7, 2020 and will be available for viewing 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at the Riverzedge Arts’ historic 196 Second Avenue location.

What’s cool about the “Everything Equal” exhibit is that it came about through a hybrid of virtual and in-person meetings and will feature pieces entirely designed and fabricated by the students. Some of the pieces such as a painted wooden cube references the plywood used to board up main streets and downtown areas during the Black Lives Matter protests; while a large scale paper mache face mask signals the omnipresence of Covid-19. READ MORE

Speaking of masks, Riverzedge Arts also has partnered with Frog and Toad to sell some pretty neat t-shirts conveying the message to “Wear Your Damn Mask.”

If you have traveled through Woonsocket, RI you may be familiar with some of Riverzedge’s earlier works including the Keep Woonsocket Beautiful mural on Main Street or the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial at the corner of South Main & Main Streets. We’ve passed by this on several occasions and thought it is neat how it represented the Woonsocket community. We did not realize that it also celebrates the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Blackstone Valley Tourism Council played an active role as a community partner with programs on environmental education and sustainability during Riverzedge Arts early development years. We have continued to watch them grow and evolve into the organization they are today with a mission of providing work-based learning strategies to teach art, design, and critical thinking to the youth of northern RI. READ MORE

Public Art in Other BV Communities

Other places in the valley have some pretty interesting displays of public art. The City of Pawtucket is host to several murals in the downtown area including two new murals going up with depictions of the city’s history and important buildings. One is located at the new Atrium on Main (formerly the China Inn) Restaurant as part of their outdoor seating area, and by the looks of it on a recent pass by, it is coming along great. The other is located at Payne Park and was recently featured in the Valley Breeze Pawtucket edition. Don’t forget to look for the beautiful artwork displayed on several electrical boxes throughout the city.

The Pawtucket Foundation and Art League RI are also seeking artists for “Windows on Pawtucket, “ for artwork to be displayed in vacant windows along Main Street. The deadline is September 1. MORE INFO

And to round things out, The Avenue Concept who are well-known for their murals and installations in Downtown Providence, recently completed a mural in the Town of Cumberland on the New England Humane Society Building at 40 Martin Street that we highly recommend you check.

Stay safe and happy art hunting!

Written by: Patti McAlpine
Photo credit: Riverzedge