Providence, RI — Mayor Brett P. Smiley today joined The Avenue Concept Executive Director Tracy Jonsson-Laboy, PVDFest Muralist Shey ‘Rí Acu’ Rivera Ríos, Department of Art, Culture and Tourism Director Joe Wilson Jr., FirstWorks Board Chair Nirva LaFortune, and AS220 Operations Director Jonesy Mann to unveil the 2025 PVDFest mural, titled PROVCurio, on the AS220 Project Gallery Space building at the corner of Snow Street and Washington Street in Downtown Providence. Today’s unveiling marks the unofficial countdown to PVDFest, Providence’s signature arts festival, which returns to Downtown Providence on Friday, September 5, and Saturday, September 6, with a rain date held for Sunday, September 7.
“We are deeply grateful to Shey ‘Rí Acu’ Rivera Ríos, The Avenue Concept, and Amber Art and Design for bringing PROVCurio to life and designing this process with such care and imagination,” said Mayor Brett Smiley. “Their engagement with the community ensured that this mural is a reflection of our neighbors and serves as a love letter to Providence and to everyone who has chosen to make this city their home. The PVDFest mural site also recognizes an important cultural partner, AS220, which is celebrating its 40th year.”
Shey Rivera Ríos’ design prompt for the mural invited participants to bring an object to a community engagement session that represents their connection to Providence. The finished work showcases these personal mementos that together create a collective portrait of the city. Shey Rivera Ríos is also a participant in the Providence Commemoration Lab, a residency led by the City’s Department of Art, Culture and Tourism in partnership with the Rhode Island Historical Society. The Lab reimagines how communities honor, remember, and celebrate their shared histories. The mural, in many ways, embodies that same spirit of commemoration. Next week, The Avenue Concept will install signage nearby with a QR code that links audio clips to each memento’s story.
“PROVCurio is an important piece conceived at an important time,” said Tracy Jonsson-Laboy, Executive Director, The Avenue Concept. “With this work, The Avenue Concept is proud to center community, local practice, and the beauty of storytelling through public art. PROVCurio offers a unique opportunity to connect with the people around us, to understand each other through relic keeping. It invites the viewer to imagine the universal practice of generously placing and sharing the objects and stories that matter to us. These are rituals and life-ways that unite us in our humanity. You will see something new each time you pass by PROVCurio, and you will learn something deeply personal about someone who lives right here when you interact with the piece. We are grateful to the artist Shey ‘Ri Acu’ Rivera for sharing their vision with us, to Shubappoi for producing the accompanying voice recordings, and to Amber Art and Design for sharing their community-based practice and production skills in making this work a reality. As always, we’re grateful for the partnership of the City of Providence Department of Art, Culture, and Tourism and Mayor Brett Smiley for continuing their investment in publicly accessible art.”
Mayor Smiley also announced that Stay Silent will once again return to PVDFest on Friday night of the festival, from 5:00 to 10:00 pm at the Providence Rink. PVDFest 2025 is slated to showcase hundreds of artists, performers, makers and creatives, including headliner Moonlight Benjamin, who will perform on the City Hall stage on Saturday evening.
The full schedule for PVDFest weekend, including road closure information and additional details are available at pvdfest.com.
PVDFest thanks Unified Parking Partners, a Division of Towne Park, for donating parking spaces that provided space needed during the mural installation and unveiling event.
Funding for the 2025 PVDFest mural is an allocation from the American Rescue Plan Act.
PVDFest is made possible with generous support from City of Providence, Providence City Council, Providence Tourism Council, Rhode Island Commerce Corporation, iHeart Media, Boston Globe Rhode Island, WM, ProvPort, Waterson Terminal Services LLC, WPRI Media Group, America News, Frog & Toad, Citizens, Breeze Airways in partnership with Rhode Island T.F. Green International Airport, Dimeo Construction Company, Delta Dental of Rhode Island, Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau, Amica Insurance, SURV, Heritage Restaurant Group, Coca-Cola Beverages Northeast, Insomnia Cookies, Pannone Lopes Devereaux & O’Gara LLC, Bank of America, Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers, Cardi’s Furniture & Mattresses, GatherWealth Investment Management, Cornish Associates, Stifel, Withum, First Bristol Corporation/Hampton Inn and Homewood Suites, Santander, Rhode Island Monthly, Hey Rhody Media, BankNewport, The MUSE Foundation, The Foundry, Providence Place, Hall of Grafx, RI Housing, Seven Hills Rhode Island, Goodwill of Southern New England, Community Action Partnership of Providence County, Pawtuxet Rangers Fife and Drum Corps, and Irth.
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