FIRSTWORKS

FirstWorks is a Providence-based nonprofit organization with a mission to enrich the social, educational and economic fabric of Rhode Island by engaging diverse audiences with world-class performing arts experiences. Our cultural initiatives catalyze partnerships that foster equitable access to the arts.

FirstWorks was founded in 2004, as a unique public-private partnership with the newly formed Department of Art, Culture, and Tourism, in Providence, Rhode Island.

Under the visionary leadership of Executive Artistic Director Kathleen Pletcher, opening our doors with an idea and a $15,000 start-up grant, FirstWorks has grown to be the only First Night festival in the country operating as a year-round arts organization. We are a key partner in building Providence as the "Creative Capital", working across three mayoral administrations. Over 20 years, we have forged collaborations with over 90 organizations to create new gateways to the arts across businesses, social services, schools, tourism, and government.