By Susan A. Baird
PBN Web Editor
PROVIDENCE – For the fourth year in a row, the city has been named a “Top 25 Arts Destination” by the readers of AmericanStyle Magazine.
This year, Providence moves up to 15th among Mid-Sized Cities – with populations of 100,000 to 499,999 – from 17th in last year’s survey and 19th in the 2006 poll.
“This honorable distinction validates the extraordinary work of the [city] Department of Art, Culture & Tourism to make Providence one of the most exciting arts and cultural destinations in the Northeast,” Mayor David N. Cicilline said in a statement today. “We’ve worked hard over the past five years, in partnership with local artists, to create high-quality cultural experiences that fuel our local economy and enrich the lives of residents and visitors.”
He cited such events as the award-winning SoundSession music festival, FirstWorks Providence and the Celebrate Providence! Neighborhood Performing Arts Series as examples of “great collaborations” that have resulted in high-quality programming.
Nonprofit arts and cultural organizations and audiences spent $111.8 million in the city in 2005, ranking the city No. 2 among communities its size for the economic impact of the arts, the Americans for the Arts reported last year. READ MORE.
In August, the city was the only U.S. city ranked by the Wall Street Journal among the world’s “Top 10 upcoming hotspots,” a list that also included Montenegro, Rwanda, Saadiyat Island and Abu Dhabi. Providence also has been the subject of recent profiles by Travel & Leisure, OK Magazine and US Airways’ in-flight journal, and its restaurant scene has been lauded by USA Today, which ranked Federal Hill among the nation’s “Top 10 Little Italies,” and Food & Wine magazine.
AmericanStyle readers cast their votes based on the “unique and interesting ways” in which cities and towns use the arts to fuel tourism, the strength of their promotional efforts and their understanding of the value of the arts to the community.
This year’s Top 25 Big Cities – with populations of 500,000 or greater – were led by New York City, Chicago, Washington, D.C., San Francisco and, at No. 5, Boston. The readers’ survey also ranked Small Cities & Towns, of 100,000 or less, though none of the winners were local.
The full article, entitled “National Treasures,” will appear in the June edition (issue 61) of AmericanStyle Magazine. It is available online now at www.americancraft.com/americanstyle.
Additional information is available from the Providence Department of Art, Culture and Tourism by calling (401) 421-7740 or visiting www.providenceri.com.
