October is National Arts and Humanities Month! National Arts and Humanities Month (NAHM) is a nationwide collective recognition of the importance of culture in America. NAHM was launched over 30 years ago by Americans for the Arts (AFTA), the lead arts advocacy organization in the United States, in order to raise public awareness about the critical role arts and culture play in our communities.
In recognition of National Arts and Humanities Month, Governor Raimondo has declared October Arts and Humanities Month in Rhode Island! The declaration occurred the morning of October 3rd , officially kicking of the celebration in the Ocean State.
There are a several important and fun ways Rhode Islanders can help elevate arts and culture and celebrate throughout the month. You can participate in the #ShowYourArt2019 social media campaign led by AFTA, or host your own Creative Conversation. You can also participate in any of the live – or virtual – activities RISCA is involved with this month!:
- #artsANDhumanitiesRI social media campaign with Rhode Island Council for the Humanities and RISCA – month-long. The Humanities Council and RISCA will be sharing selected arts and culture profiles created by the Rhode Island Arts and Culture Research Fellow, Janaya Kizzie. Janaya has been working to research, write, collect and connect stories of significant visual artists, performers, and writers past and present who have lived in Rhode Island to inform and inspire. We will be sharing these articles with the hashtag #artsANDhumanitiesRI.
- Artist Networking with Ruby Lopez Harper, Director of Local Arts Services at AFTA – October 10th, 2-4 PM at AS220 Main Stage. Ruby will be visiting Rhode Island on October 10th in celebration of NAHM – and you can help welcome her! Co-hosted by the Department of Art, Culture + Tourism at the City of Providence (ACT), you can meet Ruby and hear more about the work and services AFTA provides to artists, learn how you can participate in ACT’s cultural planning process, chat with other artists, and have a great time! Intended for individual artists of all disciplines, this celebratory networking event will be free-form in structure, so drop by when you can – but be sure to RSVP here! Food and drink will be available for purchase at the AS220 restaurant.
- Creative Conversation: “Connecting and Leveraging Networks,” with Ruby Lopez Harper and the Rhode Island Expansion Arts Program – October 10th, 6-8 PM at the Rhode Island Indian Council. This event is intended for current participants and alumni of the Rhode Island Expansion Arts Program (RIEAP). If you are a current or past RIEAP participant, email Elena Calderón Patiño at elena.patino@arts.ri.gov for more information. You can read more about Creative Conversations – including, how to host your own – here.
- Creative Conversation: “How Is the Past Shaping the Future of Arts and Culture in Providence and Rhode Island?” with Gina Rodríguez-Drix, ACT, and Todd Trebour, RISCA –November 6th, Time TBD, broadcast. To wrap up NAHM, Todd Trebour, RISCA’s Organizations Program Director, and Gina Rodríguez-Drix, Cultural Affairs Manager at ACT, will be having a live conversation on AFTA’s Creative Conversation theme for the year. This conversation will be broadcast via AFTA’s Arts U platform. Stay tuned for more details!
October is the arts and culture’s chance to shine. Please consider being part of this month-long celebration!