To the editor:

In 2014 while the city was doing outreach to update the Comprehension Plan, residents overwhelmingly stated that there was no one in the city advocating for the arts. I was asked by a member of the city council at that time to start an arts council to start advocating for the arts.

Together with many amazing Townies, the East Providence Arts Council was formed. Over the last 10 years the arts council has created an award-winning arts festival, The Looff. Public art started appearing throughout the city. Galleries opened. Music venues opened. The arts started to thrive in EP.

A recent addition to EP, a music venue called the Myrtle, opened in 2023. Within a year they became a destination for people from all over the southeastern New England area. The success of this venue proved that EP can use the arts as an economic driver and build up our cultural identity. This venue, along with others and various groups like HeritageArts, provide a passion and energy for bringing in live music that is inspiring. We have theater groups and visual artists and maker spaces and so much more.

I believe we can use our strengths, next to the capital city, on the I-195 corridor, 14 miles of coastline, to our advantage to continue building the arts scene here in EP. I would love to hear from folks who share this vision.

You can reach me at ward4council@eastprovidenceri.gov

#TowniePride

Rick Lawson
East Providence City Council
Ward 4