Where: The RISD Museum of Art, 224 Benefit Street, Providence, RI 02903-2723

Description:

Providence’s post-industrial building-scape has been fertile ground for the development of the underground art and music scene for as long as three decades. An artist in the exhibition Wunderground: Providence, 1995 to the present and city representatives come together to talk about Providence’s inspirational sense of place and the role it plays in the art-making process. As inexpensive and underused industrial spaces have been developed for housing in recent years, access to affordable live/work space has become a hot-button issue for the artistic community. This moderated discussion will help to articulate some of the critical issues here in Providence as artists, city officials, urban planners, and real estate developers struggle to set an agenda for the future while maintaining an encouraging and affordable environment for artists.

Speakers:

Moderator:

Ian Donnis has been the news editor of the Providence Phoenix since 1999. As the newspaper’s primary news writer, he focuses on Rhode Island politics and media, and has frequently written about conflicts between arts and development in Providence. A graduate of Boston University, Donnis reported for the Associated Press and for the Worcester (Mass.) Telegram & Gazette before joining the Phoenix. He is a regular panelist on Newsmakers, the Sunday morning news program of WPRI-WNAC (Channels 12 and 64), and has served as a guest analyst for WPRO, WRNI, and RI-PBS.

Panelists:

Brian Chippendale, artist/musician studied printmaking at RISD (1991-96) and is the drummer in the noise music duo Lightning Bolt. He is a prolific printmaker and comic artist whose work often reflects current political situations. Rarely participating in gallery exhibitions, Chippendale’s work is more prevalent on city streets in Providence. In 1995, Chippendale co-founded the art collective Fort Thunder. Lightning Bolt has toured internationally with bands that include The Locust, Arab on Radar, Orchid, and Melt Banana.

Lynne McCormack is the Director of the Department of Art, Culture and Tourism for the City of Providence. A graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, she began working for the City of Providence in 1998 as a production coordinator for the Parks Department, Office of Cultural Affairs. In 2000, she became associate director for the office, coordinating numerous large-scale events such as the Providence Jazz & Blues Festival and Convergence International Arts Festival. In 2003, McCormack was named deputy director of the newly created Department of Art, Culture and Tourism and has since been promoted by the Mayor to director of the department.

Laura Mullen, graphic designer and owner of pinpoint studio, has been an active advocate for affordable artist space for over 5 years. Beginning with the controversy surrounding Eagle Square, she has extensive experience working hand-in-hand with artist communities facing eviction. She is the coordinator for the Sustainable Artist Space Initiative, a collaborative working group comprised of Rhode Island State Council for the Arts, The Housing Network of Rhode Island, Rhode Island Citizens for the Arts, AS220, and community advocates.

Cost:

Free with museum admission. Residents of 02909 zip code are admitted free to the Museum in celebration of the exhibition, Wunderground: Providence, 1995 to the present.

Don’t miss the exhibition Wunderground: Providence, 1995 to the present which closes on January 7, 2007

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About the Museum: A world-class museum in Providence, RI, The RISD Museum of Art was founded as part of Rhode Island School of Design in 1877. Its permanent collection of nearly 84,000 objects includes paintings, sculptures, works on paper, costume and textiles, decorative arts, and furniture from every part of the world and all periods of history. In addition, the Museum offers a wide array of educational and public programs.