This event is part of a series – see below for details.May 7, 2026 6:00 p.m.
The Next Faire: Origin, Continuity, and Invitation
Providence Destruction (detail), Jane Yacovone; and Blue Moon: 9, Umberto Crenca.
In 1971, Providence Inner City Arts (PICA) began with an exhibition of artists rarely seen in a gallery setting. People from across the community, including artists from the state prison, brought their vision to the Benefit Street Arsenal. After becoming a registered 501(c)3 non-profit two years later, PICA fully launched its mission to use the arts as a practical application for community involvement. Since then, PICA has hosted or supported hundreds of different events, including jazz concerts, poetry readings, races, film festivals, and the beloved Florentine Faire that ran from 1975 to 1985.
Now in its sixth decade of operation, PICA returns to its roots with The Next Faire: Origin, Continuity, and Invitation, an exhibition featuring six artists from the Italian community in Rhode Island. Umberto Crenca, Nancy Gaucher-Thomas, Tony Janello, Salvatore Mancini, Anthony Russo, and Jane Yacovone come together to share work that celebrates the vibrant histories and cultural connections that shape Italian American perspectives of self and home. Their multidisciplinary creations—spanning photography, drawing, painting, and sculpture—bring familiar sights from Providence into conversation with emblematic scenes from their travels abroad. The tone of this visual discourse varies, highlighting myriad approaches to navigating duality of identity. Some pieces embrace variegation by reveling in riotous colors; others evoke discomforting tension through penumbral visions. By capturing the distinctive textures of and resonances between these states, each artist emphasizes the generative potential of cultivating identity and kinship across culture and location.
This exhibition will be PICA’s first under a new organizational direction to help support emerging and established Rhode Island artists by connecting them with new audiences, fiscal sponsorship opportunities, and mentorships to meaningfully engage with our past.
Gallery Hours: Wednesday – Sunday, 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.; Thursday until 9:00 p.m.
Admission is free and open to all; donations are encouraged.
EVENTS & RELATED PROGRAMMING
Artist Reception
Thursday, May 7, 2026 | 6:00–9:00 p.m.
Join us for a special artist reception celebrating The Next Faire. This informal gathering offers an opportunity to experience the exhibition, connect with fellow supporters, and learn more about the works on view.
Gallery Night Providence
Thursday, May 21, 2026 | 6:00–9:00 p.m.
Jump on a trolley from the WaterFire Arts Center, explore multiple local partner galleries, and then return back to the WFAC to check out The Next Faire! Check back for more information about how to secure your spot on the trolley. gallerynight.org
About Providence Inner City Arts
Providence Inner City Arts is a 501(c)3 non-profit whose mission is to create a vibrant sense of place using art, culture, and entertainment to bring diverse people together, provoke thought, inspire hope, deepen understanding, and to foster community.
About the Artists
Umberto Crenca
Nancy Gaucher-Thomas
Tony Janello
Salvatore Mancini
Anthony Russo
Jane Yacovone
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Event Details
The Next Faire: Origin, Continuity, and Invitation
A group exhibition of works from Umberto Crenca, Nancy Gaucher-Thomas, Tony Janello, Salvatore Mancini, Anthony Russo, and Jane Yacovone
In partnership with Providence Inner City Arts
On view in the gallery at the WaterFire Arts Center
475 Valley Street, Providence, RI 02908
Exhibition on View: Thursday, May 7 – Sunday, May 31, 2026
Artist Reception: Thursday, May 7, 6:00–9:00 p.m.
Gallery Night Providence: Thursday, May 21, part of a citywide arts activation with trolley rides and self-guided tours
Providence Destruction (detail), Jane Yacovone; and Blue Moon: 9, Umberto Crenca.
In 1971, Providence Inner City Arts (PICA) began with an exhibition of artists rarely seen in a gallery setting. People from across the community, including artists from the state prison, brought their vision to the Benefit Street Arsenal. After becoming a registered 501(c)3 non-profit two years later, PICA fully launched its mission to use the arts as a practical application for community involvement. Since then, PICA has hosted or supported hundreds of different events, including jazz concerts, poetry readings, races, film festivals, and the beloved Florentine Faire that ran from 1975 to 1985.
Now in its sixth decade of operation, PICA returns to its roots with The Next Faire: Origin, Continuity, and Invitation, an exhibition featuring six artists from the Italian community in Rhode Island. Umberto Crenca, Nancy Gaucher-Thomas, Tony Janello, Salvatore Mancini, Anthony Russo, and Jane Yacovone come together to share work that celebrates the vibrant histories and cultural connections that shape Italian American perspectives of self and home. Their multidisciplinary creations—spanning photography, drawing, painting, and sculpture—bring familiar sights from Providence into conversation with emblematic scenes from their travels abroad. The tone of this visual discourse varies, highlighting myriad approaches to navigating duality of identity. Some pieces embrace variegation by reveling in riotous colors; others evoke discomforting tension through penumbral visions. By capturing the distinctive textures of and resonances between these states, each artist emphasizes the generative potential of cultivating identity and kinship across culture and location.
This exhibition will be PICA’s first under a new organizational direction to help support emerging and established Rhode Island artists by connecting them with new audiences, fiscal sponsorship opportunities, and mentorships to meaningfully engage with our past.
Gallery Hours: Wednesday – Sunday, 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.; Thursday until 9:00 p.m.
Admission is free and open to all; donations are encouraged.
EVENTS & RELATED PROGRAMMING
Artist Reception
Thursday, May 7, 2026 | 6:00–9:00 p.m.
Join us for a special artist reception celebrating The Next Faire. This informal gathering offers an opportunity to experience the exhibition, connect with fellow supporters, and learn more about the works on view.
Gallery Night Providence
Thursday, May 21, 2026 | 6:00–9:00 p.m.
Jump on a trolley from the WaterFire Arts Center, explore multiple local partner galleries, and then return back to the WFAC to check out The Next Faire! Check back for more information about how to secure your spot on the trolley. gallerynight.org
About Providence Inner City Arts
Providence Inner City Arts is a 501(c)3 non-profit whose mission is to create a vibrant sense of place using art, culture, and entertainment to bring diverse people together, provoke thought, inspire hope, deepen understanding, and to foster community.
About the Artists
Organizer
