The North Kingstown Arts Council provides support to visual, performing, and musical arts in North Kingstown, RI. These are a few of the events and artistic initiatives we have sponsored and supported. If you’d like to plan an arts or cultural event in North Kingstown, head over to our event planning page to get started.
Concerts
- Summer Concerts: Every summer, the NKAC organizes and hosts weekly Tuesday evening concerts at the Clamshell by Wickford Beach. Enjoy a free evening of good tunes, food trucks, and entertainment for the whole family.
- Family Concerts: On Thursday evenings in the summer, we host a concert series of music for children. These free concerts are a great activity for children under 12 to listen to music for them and dance along and grab a bite from local food trucks.
- Lafayette Band Concerts: We sponsor the Lafayette Band’s concerts including their holiday show featuring big band renditions of Christmas, Hanukkah, and holiday songs.
Eco-Land Art Projects
- The Spiral: This spiral form made of stones is an environmental installation in Wilson Park, near the boat launch. It invites visitors to mindfully walk the spiral and contemplate the nature around them.
- Poetry at the Spiral: Poetry readings from local poets and students at the Spiral.
- Wrapped In Nature: This fashion show series imagined by Sara Seleenbrandt features a line of clothing made from all organic and reused materials such as dried fruit, pinecones, and gourds. Models walked along the Spiral as Sara read poetry and thoughtful nature-inspired writing.
Downtown Wickford
- Festival of Lights Carolers: The Festival of Lights is an annual tradition in downtown Wickford celebrating the holiday season. It features events all week including the Town Tree Lighting, Santa arriving by boat, horse-drawn hayrides, and the Elf Parade. We add to the festive cheer by sponsoring carolers who stroll through town singing holiday tunes.
- Happy Trails musicians at Wickford Art Festival: We sponsor a variety of musicians who play at a booth during the Wickford Art Festival and along the Wickford Walk trail connecting downtown Wickford to the field at Ryan Park where the Art Festival Occurs.
Local Attractions
- Christmas at Smith’s Castle: A weekend full of seasonal festivities at Smith’s Castle including Colonial craft demonstrations, live music, cookie decorating, Father Christmas, children’s games and activities, and raffle.
- Fall Fair at the Gilbert Stuart Birthplace Museum: Celebrating the end of summer at the Gilbert Stuart with events including live music, children’s crafts and games, corn grinding demonstration, warm cider and donuts, scavenger hunt, and caricature artist.
NK Schools
- Clay Bowl Project: An annual benefit for the NK Food Pantry. Students create original clay bowls which are sold at a Soup for Good event. Members of the public pay for the bowl and a bowl of homemade soup and snacks with proceeds going to the local Food Pantry.
- Color Day: An annual art showcase celebrating the International Day of Color. Students from all schools in North Kingstown have the opportunity to show their work in a large gallery display at the North Kingstown Free Library. Select students from every school are recognized for their outstanding use of color and awarded with art supplies.
- Silk Road: A pan-Asian cultural education event at the Davisville Middle School organized and hosted by Sandra Makielski. Ms. Makielski teaches her seventh grade students about culture, language, and art from China to Turkey and the Byzantine Countries. She brings local musicians, artists, and performers to showcase their culture’s customs and students host a Bazaar to benefit the NK Food Pantry.