Join City of Providence Mayor Angel Taveras, the Department of Art, Culture + Tourism and AS220 this Thursday night, May 24th, for a discussion about the power of arts and culture to rebuild communities. The event begins with a reception at the Pell Chafee Performance Center, 87 Empire Street, from 5-6 pm, and continues with the panel presentation and discussion from 6-7:30pm. Tickets are still available, and you can register online!

The panel is comprised of noted national and local experts: Maria Rosario Jackson, PhD, Jason Schupbach, Colin P. Kane and Manya K. Rubenstein.  The discussion will be moderated by Marc Levitt and will focus on the role of arts and culture as a tool for building strong communities, revitalizing neighborhoods, catalyzing economic activity, and fostering meaningful connections between people and places. Topics will include:

• The correlation between arts and culture and dynamic urban communities
• Best practices for planning inclusive urban environments that improve local quality of life
• The relationship of cultural vitality and creative placemaking to economic development including workforce development and job creation
• Providence as compared to other locations – the capital city’s competitive advantages and challenges

The 2012 Senator Pell Lecture on Arts & Humanities is sponsored by: Rhode Island Council for the Humanities, The John Nicholas Brown Center for the Public Humanities and Cultural Heritage; Regency Plaza Apartments; Durkee, Brown, Viveiros, Werenfels Architects; Barbara Sokoloff Associates; The Hotel Providence; The Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau, and Trinity Repertory Theater. Visit the Eventbrite site for more info.