Mayor David N. Cicilline, the Department of Art, Culture + Tourism, Lynne McCormack, Director, and the Department of Public Parks, Robert F. McMahon, Superintendent, are pleased to announce the Celebrate Providence! 2008 Neighborhood Performing Arts Initiative. This program brings music, dance and theatre into neighborhood parks throughout the city. All events are free and open to the public.

This week's events
Friends Of Elmhurst Presents Kim Lamonthe, August 14, 6pm, Fargnoli Park

Friends Of Brown Street Park Presents What Cheer Marching Band, August 19, 5pm, Brown Street Park

Broad Street Studio Rhode Show, August 20, 6pm, Burnside Park

Friends Of Elmhurst End Of Summer Festival With Big Nazo & Napua O Polynesia Dancers , August 21, 6pm, Fargnoli Park

For more information about all of the events please click here.

August 14 - 16 @ 7pm, August 17 @ 3pm, Production Workshop At Brown, 7 Orchard Avenue, Free And Open To The Public, Reservation Encouraged. Brand spankin' new creations from their Dialogue program written and acted by kid/adult duos (based on ideas conceived by the kids)! With the Dialogue Program, an adult actor and child work together to create a short play, each writing the lines for one of the two characters before acting in the play together. For more information please click here.

August 21, 5pm - 9pm, Art Bus Departs From Citizens Plaza, Free And Open To The Public. A fun-filled cultural extravaganza. Twenty-one galleries, museums, and historic sites; eight convenient parking lots; live music; refreshments; art buses; celebrity guides and it's all free! For more information please click here.

August 16, 7:44pm, Sponsored By Fidelity Investments & Commonwealth Ventures, LLC. WaterFire Providence, the award-winning sculpture by Barnaby Evans, installed on the three rivers of downtown Providence, has been praised by Rhode Island residents and international visitors alike as a powerful work of art and a moving symbol of Providence's renaissance. For more information please click here.

RiverWalk: Providence Walking Tour
Evenings Of Full WaterFire Lightings, 5:30pm, Departs From John Brown House Museum, 52 Power Street, Tickets Are $10. This walk shares the stories of the Providence waterfront and its early development while introducing the phenomenon known as WaterFire. For more information please click here.

August 15 - 22, Firehouse 13, 41 Central Street, Admission Is $4 Per Night Or $10 For A Full Pass. Featuring a wide-ranging collection of visual art that defies immediate categorization and covers the walls of Firehouse no. 13. In addition, RHD will present four evenings of hosted, live entertainment the likes of which will amaze, amuse, and confound...those will include an awesome eve of RHD video presentations and three spellbinding nights of music (and interpretive dance and puppetry) by celebrated local and international artists. For more information please click here.

Through August 17, Thursdays - Saturdays @ 8pm, Sundays @ 3pm, Perishable Theatre, 95 Empire Street, Tickets Are $10. An experimental theatre extravaganza bringing new works from local and not so local artists and different performing art genres together. Experience performances from Fledgling Festival curator Peter Deffet, artists Nancy Hoffman, Angela Conte, Philip Goldman, Khym Carmichael, Kellie Lynch, Slipperyfish Dance, Angela Colford, Kevin Delaney, Leigh Hendrix plus much more. For more information please click here.

August 23, 11am, John Brown House Museum, 52 Power Street, Tickets Are $12. The RI Historical Society will celebrate the life and works of Providence native and author Howard Phillips Lovecraft to mark the anniversary of his birth. The walking tour route is based on Lovecraft's "Providence stories," which were written between 1924 and 1935. Some excerpts from his tales will be read and details of Lovecraft's life will be discussed. For more information please click here.

Greater Kennedy Plaza is being transformed into a lively public square, rich with activity. The area includes Burnside Park, Kennedy Plaza, the Skating Center and Biltmore Park. Stay tuned here each week to find out what's going on!

Week of August 14-20, 2008:

EVENTS
THURSDAY, August 14, Market Bazaar Thursday
Check out lovely antiques, art and more. Join us each week this summer as Market Thursday grows!
THURSDAY, August 14, 11:30am - 1:30pm, Burnside Park, Fishing With Finnegan

FRIDAY, August 15, 11am - 2pm, Farmers Market
Shop for tasty harvests from RI farms here along the sidewalk at Burnside Park. Choose from a selection of foods fresh from the fields and meet the people who grow your meal!

SATURDAY, August 16, 4pm - 9:30pm, Bank of America Skating Center, Bolivia Festival de la Virgen de Urkupina.

SUNDAY, August 17, 2pm - 6pm, Bank of America Skating Center, Bolivia Festival de la Virgen de Urkupina.

TUESDAY, August 19, 11am - 3:30pm, Public Square Tuesday
Come on down to find out what volunteer opportunities local non-profit agencies have to offer and grab a Del's lemonade while you're there! This week: American Friends Service Committee, Center For Hispanic Policy And Advocacy, Center for Preventive Medicine, Home And Hospice Care of RI, Make-A-Wish Foundation of RI, Mental Health Association of RI, National Multiple Sclerosis Society- RI Chapter, Neighborhood Health Plan Of RI, Pregnancy and Child Health Studies - The Miriam Hospital, RI Cancer Council, RI Patient Advocacy Coalition, YMCA of Greater Providence.
TUESDAY, August 19, 11am - 3pm, Bank Of America Skating Center, Blood Drive. Get a free 6" Sub by giving blood!

WEDNESDAY, August 20, 12pm - 1pm, Burnside Park Community Stage.
Bring your lunch and join us for a mixed repertoire of classical and traditional fiddle duets from Rachel Panitch & Arlyn Valencia.

For more information on all the great things happening in Greater Kennedy Plaza please click here.

Savor Providence: A Benefit For Trinity Rep

August 23, 12pm - 4pm, Various Locations Downtown, Tickets Are $37 For 10 Tastes. A new twist on the usual "taste" event will take place in Providence this summer on Saturday, August 23rd from 12-4pm. For just $37, you will receive a book of 10 Tastes to redeem at participating restaurants in Providence. No tents, no standing in lines - with our handy restaurant map, Savor Providence will lead people right to the doorsteps of many of the hottest restaurants in and around the city. For more information please click here.

Call To Galleries And Fine Art Stores. The City of Providence's Department of Art, Culture + Tourism is in the process of revamping their web site. One of the key new features is the addition of an interactive Gallery/Fine Art guide. If you have a gallery, fine art store, art supply store, etc that is not currently listed on their web site, please click here to email Michael Christofaro with the name, location, contact info, brief description and high resolution photograph (300dpi) of your business.

Call To Vendors And Artists - Market Thursdays Through August, 11am - 7pm, Kennedy Plaza, No Fee - Kennedy Plaza is undergoing a facelift full of vibrant activity and we want you to be a part of it! Please join us for Market Thursdays on the sidewalk along Burnside Park for a great opportunity to reach new customers - free of charge! Food, antiques, books, records, art, merchandise and fun! To download an application please click here. For more information please contact Deb Dormody via email at ddormody@providenceri.com.

Craftland 2008 Call For Artists. The Craftland 2008 application is now available online and they are hoping you and/or your crafty friends will apply! Craftland is a holiday craft show in a unique consignment store format in downtown Providence. Craftland 2008 will be open seven days a week, from December 5-24th. For more information and to download an application please click here.

Call To Artists: Fine Furnishings Show. Artists working in all media are invited to apply to exhibit and sell their work at the 2008 Fine Furnishings & Fine Craft Shows taking place at the RI Convention Center on October 24 - 26. A small selection of booths is still available, including the popular and affordable half booth size. Applications to exhibit can be downloaded by clicking here.

RISCA Call For Art. The Rhode Island State Council On the Arts is pleased to announce a new call for public art for all visual artists at the Dunkin' Donuts Center in downtown Providence. The deadline for entries is September 26. Interested parties may learn more about the project by clicking here and scrolling down to Dunkin Donuts Center.

Call To Artists For Knight Gallery Exhibition. The object of this event is to display good quality, low cost art to the public by a variety of artists. The dimensions of each entry MUST add up to 100 inches total. The deadline for entries is August 25. For more information please click here.

PPSRI Walking Tour Leaders Needed. The Providence Preservation Society is looking for individuals interested in leading walking tours for elementary and middle school students. Upon completing a 2.5 day training provided by PPS, docents are asked to make a one-year commitment to the program. This year's training will take place September 23-25 and will concentrate on the College Hill and Fox Point neighborhoods. For more information please contact Kathleen McAreavey at 401-831-440 X 103 or click here.

RI Civic Chorale and Orchestra Auditions, September 3 @ 7:30pm & September 6 @ 10:30am, Rhode Island College, Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts, Room 198. All those interested in singing with this critically acclaimed chorus are encouraged to contact the RI Civic Chorale and Orchestra either via phone at 521-5670 or via email at info@ricco.org.

Open Call To Child Actors. Trinity Repertory Company will be holding an open call for child actors on Saturday, September 27, from 9am to 1pm at Cardi's Furniture Superstore (Route 1A, South Attleboro, MA) for its 32nd annual production of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, directed by Liesl Tommy. Children ages 8-12 are welcome to audition, although children who turn 13 before December 31, 2008, are not eligible. No appointment is necessary for the auditions but you must click here to download an audition packet.

RISD Museum Seeks Visitor Services Manager. Part of the job description includes promoting and ensuring positive visitor and program experiences by coordinating front desk activities, supporting efforts to improve visitor access and recommending and implementing enhancements and/or changes based on feedback. For a full list of qualifications, a detailed job description and to submit a resume and cover letter, please click here. No phone calls please.

RISD Fall Continuing Education Classes. RISD offers a rich variety of classes, lectures, workshops, gallery talks and other events designed to engage young artists and adults. For more information please click here.