PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — The capital city is now home to a brand new mural commemorating PVDFest as the signature arts and culture festival gears up for its 10th year.

Providence Mayor Brett Smiley announced Thursday that he commissioned the mural alongside the city’s Department of Art, Culture and Tourism.

“This mural embodies the spirit of PVDFest and the creative energy that makes Providence unique,” Smiley said. “Public art is fundamental to Providence, and this mural will not only beautify downtown, but also tell a powerful story of our community’s rich history and vibrant diversity.”

“By celebrating the contributions of our theater, cultural heritage and LGBTQ+ communities, we are honoring the past while inspiring future generations,” he continued.

The mural, which now completely covers one side of a brick building off of Snow Street, was created by Lauren YS , who is based out of Los Angeles.

Though Lauren YS isn’t from the Ocean State, they studied briefly at Brown University and the Rhode Island School of Design before graduating from Stanford University.

The mural features four figures who each highlight a different element of the capital city’s creative culture.

( Story continues below mural .)

PVDFest is returning to downtown Providence this September following a one-year stint at 195 District Park. The annual outdoor arts festival is slated for Friday, Sept. 6, from 5-9 p.m. and Saturday, Sept. 7 from noon to 8 p.m.

The capital city also unveiled this year’s official PVDFest map , which notes where the stages, food truck village, artisan market, temporary art installations and maker spaces will be located, among other services and points of interest.

The so-called maker spaces, which are new this year, will feature interactive demonstrations with a variety of artists and crafters, including Lego enthusiast Andrew Grover , TuftXPVD’s Savaree Hazard-Chaney , Gather Glass and DWRI Letterpress .

This year’s schedule of performances and programs has not been released yet, though earlier this summer the city gave festivalgoers a “sneak peek” of what to expect.

WPRI 12 is a proud sponsor of PVDFest.

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