Lost in the Valley: A WaterFire Accelerate Valley Vibes Experience
Event Details
Thursday, August 27, 2026 | 6–9 PM
The 2026 WaterFire Accelerate cohort, made up of Aja Delgado, Pamela Fernández, Liam Fifer, Yasmine Hassan, Amelia Rozear, and Rachel Turner, invites you to Lost in the Valley, a night made entirely by and for the emerging artists shaping Providence’s creative future.
This week’s Valley Vibes: Thursdays on Tap is hosted by the Accelerate cohort themselves, and it also marks the closing night of America, Unfinished?!, the WaterFire Arts Center’s large scale summer exhibition. It’s the last chance to experience the show before it comes down, paired with a rooftop night built by six of Rhode Island’s most exciting young artists.
Expect an immersive evening featuring a DJ set from ylsanita, refreshments from Hi Bar Lo Bar, live activations, and hands on art making on the roof deck. Come get lost, and find your way.
What to expect:
- DJ set by ylsanita
- Refreshments from Hi Bar Lo Bar
- Live activations and hands on art making
- Final evening to view America, Unfinished?! in the Main Hall
Details
Location: WaterFire Arts Center, 475 Valley Street, Providence, RI
Date: Thursday, August 27, 2026
Time: 6:00 to 9:00 PM
Admission: Free and open to the public
This is a night built by the artists themselves, a chance to celebrate a full year of growth for the 2026 Accelerate cohort while sending off America, Unfinished?! the way it deserves: with community, creativity, and fun on the roof.
For more on the artists behind the night, visit the 2026 WaterFire Accelerate Cohort announcement. For more on the exhibition closing that same evening, visit the America, Unfinished?! event page.
Experience America, Unfinished?! | July 2, 2026 – August 30, 2026
The WaterFire Arts Center presents America, Unfinished?!, a large-scale contemporary art exhibition exploring the complexities, contradictions, and possibilities of the American experience.
Presented in partnership with Tomaquag Museum, with selected works and materials from the museum on view.
Bringing together artists from across the country, the exhibition examines themes of identity, democracy, belonging, memory, justice, and civic life through a wide range of contemporary artistic practices. Through immersive installations, large-scale artworks, and thought-provoking interventions, America, Unfinished?! invites visitors to reflect on the stories that shape our nation and consider their own role in its evolving future.
Presented in the 15,000-square-foot Main Hall, America, Unfinished?! transforms the space into a dynamic environment for dialogue, reflection, and discovery.
Admission is free, and donations are encouraged.
Participating Artists
Participating artists include Adolfo Peralta, Aileen Bassis, Alex Ferrone, Anya Detonnancourt, Bhen Alan, Bláithín Haddad, Brooke Toczylowski, Callum Sharkey, Charles Compo, Christl Stringer, Daniella Pozo, Dave Pettengill, Derek Raymond, Dominic Quagliozzi, Eliza Goodwin, Filipe Miguel assisted by C. Rose Bergeron, Francine Weiss, Fu’una, Gregory Parizhsky, Haley Andrews of Andrews Movement, Hanako E O’Leary, Haus of Glitter, Hayley Piret, Heidi Jensen, Ireoluwatoni Asojo, Jaden Kyung-Moon Bauch, Jean Blackburn, Jeanne Ciravolo, Jeff Hesser, Jeremy Dennis, Jo Cosme, Jocelyn Vache, John Buron, Jonathan Pitts-Wiley, Jose Trejo Maya, Julia Dwinell, Kannetha Brown, Karla DeStefano, Keana Walters, Khalil McKnight, Kristin Schiff, Laura Lee Brady, Laura Lott, Lee Casstevens, Lee-Sean Huang, Leela Corman, Lindsey White, Lisa Rockford, Lisa Tang Liu and James David Tabor, Magalen L. Nichols, Marcel Marcel, Mariana Cicerchia, Mary Pat Turner, Megan Bent, nai marie and Emery Mollock, Ramiro Davaro-Comas, Scott Lapham, Sebastian Ebarb, Sheila Smith, Spencer Evans, Stephen Golding, Steve Roth, Sussy Santana, Suzanne Kachmar, Tim Rietenbach, Tracie Lee, Traé Brooks, Umberto Crenca, William Evertson, and Xray Aims.
Artist Statements Page
Tomaquag Museum & Contributing Artists:
Raphael Champlin, enrolled Narragansett Citizen, elder; Robin Spears Jr., enrolled Narragansett Citizen, elder; Robert Jones, enrolled Narragansett Citizen; Sherenté Harris, enrolled Narragansett Citizen; Vange Hopkins, enrolled Narragansett Citizen; Mikala Jackson, Paiute, Shoshone; Robin Spears III., enrolled Narragansett Citizen; Pummukau Harris, enrolled Narragansett Citizen, youth; and Olivia Carter, enrolled Narragansett Citizen, youth
Companion Exhibition
Ascending: The Liberation of Native Art
Presented by CEDAR NATION and sponsored by The Mashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center
Visitors begin their experience in the WaterFire Arts Center gallery with Ascending: The Liberation of Native Art before continuing into America, Unfinished?! in the Main Hall.
Curated by Brooke Waldron, Ascending brings together Native artists from across the Northeast whose work reflects generations of cultural knowledge, creative practice, and self-determined expression. Together, the exhibitions invite audiences to engage with questions of identity, belonging, history, and the stories that continue to shape our collective future.
Exhibition Hours
Wednesday–Sunday | 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Thursdays | Open late until 9:00 p.m.
Closed Mondays + Tuesdays
Note: Closed to the public on Thursday, July 23, for a private event.
Interested in bringing a group?
Guided tours can be arranged during open hours, and with advance notice, we may also be able to accommodate tours on Mondays or Tuesdays. To inquire or schedule, please contact Eli Yung at eli@waterfire.org.’
