Creative Providence: A Cultural Plan for Providence, RI

• John Speck
• Michelle Gonzalez
• Amanda Suzzi

Creative Providence Cultural plan will:

• Be the result of a broadly inclusive, city-wide process;
• Attempt to integrate arts, culture, and creativity into all aspects of city life by making specific, realistic recommendations for action;
• Aim to stimulate economic development, strengthen the creative economy, education, and civic engagement, and, enhance the quality of life in the City of Providence;
• Serve as a catalyst for metro and statewide conversations about the evolution of arts, culture, and creativity in Providence;
• Recognize artists, arts administrators, and cultural institutions as leaders already shaping the 21st century environment; and
• Provide emerging arts leaders and experienced professionals a collaborative platform to explore innovative and creative strategies for enriching arts, culture, and creativity in the capital city.

Providence's cultural planning process and the creation of the plan will be a collaborative effort led by two consulting firms: Dreeszen & Associates, a nationally recognized cultural planning firm, and New Commons, a Providence-based think tank. These consultants will steer the process but it will take significant community participation to produce a locally responsive cultural plan and build a sustainable creative community.

Our Timeline

Creative Providence is a community-wide, 2-part process:

Cultural Assessment - Identify cultural resources, needs & opportunities (Sep. - Dec. 2008) Please download and read our Cultural Assessment Findings (2Mb)

Cultural Planning - Plan community-wide actions and secure resources to respond (Jan. - May 2009)