The Avenue Concept

Join us in welcoming Christen Makram, as our new official Program Manager! Christen holds a BA in Women's Studies and Political Science. She has been a secondary educator for 15 years, with experience in creating and facilitating Anti-Racist/Anti-Bias curriculum. She also worked with Brown University’s Simmons Center on curriculum development providing an intersectional lens. She has worked with other non-profits in coaching and facilitating educators and school leaders. Although Christen is only now joining TAC as an official staff member, she has been an integral part of this organization for over a year. Christen got to know TAC as intern Bellie Karpee's advisor during Bellie's 2022 Papitto Opportunity Connection-supported Youth Artist Resident year-long experience. Following that, Christen served as a TAC consultant beginning in summer 2023 helping Yarrow, our founder and former ED, and TAC to build scaffolding for documenting existing works and processes. Now this work informs? future programs, projects, and staff roles. We’re so excited to have Christen continue building strategy around our programs and mission-focused projects! Photos 2-7 by Small Frye Photography … ?#avenuepvd #publicartisforeveryone #theavenueconcept

Did you see us on the news? Last week we were featured on WSBE Rhode Island PBS’s Generation Rising hosted by Anaridis Rodriguez! Our Executive Director Tracy Jonsson-Laboy , Board Chair Jamie Coelho, and Paintbar & Installations Specialist Kendel Joseph discussed entering a new era as an organization, upcoming free events with GALLERY NIGHT PROVIDENCE, residency programs, and some of our most beloved public artworks. If you weren’t able to catch it live, you can watch the segment here: https://lnkd.in/evXM2E5T ! … #avenuepvd #publicartisforeveryone #pbs #generationrising #theavenueconcept

One month left to submit to the Utility Box Open Call! The RIPPLES Project, a collaboration between The Avenue Concept, the City of Providence, Providence ACT, and New Urban Arts, includes painting 50 new Utility Box pieces, 14 of which will be composed of artists from this open call. Do you want to see your art displayed in public? Utility boxes are a great way to start! As USA Today's ranked #2 most walkable city, thousands of people walking through Providence could see your work every day! Learn more about how to apply at https://lnkd.in/ejtgQ8xp ! What’s your favorite painted utility box in Providence? Tell us below! Boxes pictured: Ice Down Medallions (2021) by Rene Gomez Untitled (2023) by The Wilds Advisory Group, The Met School Alewife Box (2022) by Natasha Brennan … #avenuepvd #publicartisforeveryone #providence #utilitybox #opencall #mural

This month we celebrate 10 years of working with our talented Senior Mural Program Manager Nick Platzer (aka INOPERAbLE).? A decade ago we embarked on a first collaboration with Nick, who curated renowned artist Evoca1 onto the TAC headquarter’s front facade. “The Host” resulted, a moving piece whose meaning evolved over time in response to the artist’s embrace of local dialogue and feedback. At the time INOPERAbLE was a brick and mortar gallery in Vienna, Austria founded by Nick. We were excited to invite him to curate the mural and present an artist talk sharing how his beginnings in the Providence graffiti scene ultimately led to running his award winning gallery and worldwide curation. In 2018 Nick was hired to be our official Mural Program Manager, opening The Avenue Concept up to a deeper and wider network of local and international artists, together producing some of the most recognized and celebrated works of public art in Rhode Island today. … ?#avenuepvd #publicartisforeveryone #evoca1 #inoperable #inoperablecurates

Happy Halloween! ?? Here are some snapshots from our Halloween Graff Jam - the final Graff Jam off the season! ?? Graff Jams at The Avenue Concept? are monthly confluences where the community of artists who create works on walls get to practice, learn, and share knowledge, inspiration, and process. We will start them up again in the spring! Artists from all over came to paint spooky creations on the Legal Wall, meet other artists, and have some pizza and snacks! ??? As you can see, we even got a visit from Frankenstein! ?? What are you dressing up as for Halloween? Tell us below! Some artists featured: Slide 1: somejoeshmoe? Slide 2: ATOP Slide 7: Kendel Joseph … ?#avenuepvd #publicartisforeveryone #happyhalloween #legalwall #graffjam

Announcing the RIPPLES Project: Utility Boxes Open Call for Artists, a collaborative utility box project funded by the City of Providence Department of Art, Culture and Tourism and in collaboration with New Urban Arts. TAC invites artists to respond to an open call for a paid opportunity to paint a utility box in Providence RI during the warm months of 2025. The call will be open until December 8, 2024, follow the link in our bio! Featured are the TAC Utility Boxes by Adam Tracy “Warren’s Waterfront” (2021) in Warren and Kiara Costa and Al Sok called "Alewife Box I," (2022) in 195 District Park. Have you seen any of these painted utility boxes? Tell us your favorite below! … ?#avenuepvd #publicartisforeveryone #utilitybox #providence #opencall

Announcing the RIPPLES Project: Utility Boxes Open Call for Artists, a collaborative utility box project funded by the City of Providence Department of Art, Culture and Tourism and in collaboration with New Urban Arts. TAC invites artists to respond to an open call for a paid opportunity to paint a utility box in Providence RI during the warm months of 2025. The call will be open until December 8, 2024, follow the link in our bio! Featured are the TAC Utility Boxes by Adam Tracy “Warren’s Waterfront” (2021) in Warren and Kiara Costa and Al Sok called "Alewife Box I," (2022) in 195 District Park. Have you seen any of these painted utility boxes? Tell us your favorite below! … ?#avenuepvd #publicartisforeveryone #utilitybox #providence #opencall

The first TAC x GALLERY NIGHT PROVIDENCE collaboration was a hit!? ?? Last Thursday, over 100 people from in and out of state gathered at The Graduate Hotel to take free trolley and walking tours of galleries and public art around the city. ?? As the final stop on the tour, TAC hosted an alleyway activation with light projections by @clearvoidvisuals on the mural Salt Water by Garden of Journey, free coffee and cocoa by Cafe Modesto, and art chairs by local artists for folks to rest on! ????? Couldn’t make it this time around? No worries! We have two more dates on December 5, 2024 and March 20, 2025. ? Stay tuned for more information or go to GALLERY NIGHT PROVIDENCE‘s website! ??: Small Frye Photography TAC-produced art pictured: 1. Still Here by Gaia 2. Portrait of Yayoi Kusama by Fu'una 3. Confluence? by Greg was here 4. Portrait of Alma Thomas by Joanna Vespia 5. Salt Water by Garden of Journey 6. Art chairs by Umberto Crenca , Xander Morro , ATOP, Al Sok and Evoker One … #avenuepvd #publicartisforeveryone #gallerynightprovidence #tour #downtownpvd #mural

Make it a date! You still have time to RSVP for the first of this year's Gallery Night Providence x The Avenue Concept tours tonight! ?? We are excited to partner with Gallery Night to provide you with a free art-filled experience centered around Providence’s galleries and public artwork. ?? We look forward to sparking dialogue and inspiring awe as tour guides point out public art along the path, culminating in a parking lot activation on Mathewson St. featuring art chairs, hot cocoa from Cafe Modesto, and more! ? Learn more and RSVP using this link to GALLERY NIGHT PROVIDENCE's website: https://lnkd.in/eHcMSDYW! Can’t make it tonight? You can still register for the upcoming December 5 and March 20 dates! ??: 1, 4 and 5 by Small Frye Photography ??: 2 - 3 via Gallery Night Providence Tour Card by Byron Olson … #avenuepvd #publicartisforeveryone #gallerynightprovidence #tours #providence #downtownpvd #murals

Are you registered to vote? Election day is getting close, and in order to drum up excitement, we are re-releasing our VOTE merch, with all proceeds going to ACLU! Link to purchase: https://lnkd.in/eribvW9k! This design is based off our beloved mural from 2020 curated by The Avenue Concept and designed by four Rhode Island BIPOC artists: V- Kendel Joseph O- The Lady J T- Angie Gonzalez E- Above The artists chose to have all proceeds from this shirt go to the ACLU because of the work they have done to protect voters’ rights. Rhode Islanders can still register to vote in-person at your local election office on Election Day, November 5! Visit https://vote.sos.ri.gov/ for more information on voting in RI! … ?#avenuepvd #publicartisforeveryone #registertovote