It is officially fall and we’re looking forward to a beautiful fall weekend. Beyond apple picking and crisper fall walks, there’s plenty of arts and culture to check out. If you’re looking for something to do, check out these events:
James Baumgartner
James produces and engineers Political Roundtable, The Weekly Catch and other special programming on The Public’s Radio. He also produces Artscape, the weekly arts & culture segment heard every Thursday. His favorite part of the job is talking with artists, musicians and other creators about their process and what inspires them.
James learned the basics of audio editing while studying music at Missouri State University. He went on to get a Master of Fine Arts in Electronic Art at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute where he created electronic music, video art and internet-based media art. While at RPI, James went on the air for the first time, hosting an electronic music show on Rensselaer's station, WRPI, but his love of radio came from staying up late so he could hear punk rock on KKFI, the community radio station in Kansas City, Missouri.
Posted inArts And Culture, Local
Rhode Island Latino Arts wins legal victory over Trump administration
Rhode Island Latino Arts and three other arts organizations won a ruling against the Trump Administration on Friday when a federal judge in Rhode Island ruled that a policy from the National Endowment for the Arts violates the First Amendment and other federal laws. The policy would have allowed the NEA to disfavor grant applications […]
Posted inArts And Culture, Local
Fear of nuclear war plus Reagan-era optimism? It’s ‘Cold War Choir Practice’ at Trinity Rep
Cold War Choir Practice at Trinity Repertory Company – September 4 – October 5. It’s 1987 in Syracuse, New York. Michael Jackson dominates the charts. Ronald Reagan is president. And The Cold War, with its threat of nuclear war, is ever-present in American culture. That’s the setting of the latest play at Trinity Rep, called […]
Posted inLocal, Politics
Recapping a tumultuous week at Cranston City Hall
On Wednesday, City Council President Jessica Marino and the council’s attorney, Stephen Angell, suddenly resigned. The resignations come amid accusations of a romantic relationship between the two officials and claims of a conflict of interest.
Posted inArts And Culture, Local
AS220 celebrates 40 years ‘unjuried & uncensored’ with Foo Fest this weekend
AS220 is an arts organization in Providence that offers uncensored, unjuried venues for visual and performing arts. It also has live/work apartments for about 50 artists. And, it offers arts programming for youth and adults with print making, music production, theater and more. AS220 is celebrating 40 years this week and they’re bringing back Foo […]
Posted inArts And Culture, Local
Romance, civil rights and big teased out hairdos in ‘Hairspray’
Morning host Luis Hernandez spoke with two of the performers from the musical “Hairspray” at Theatre by the Sea through August 16, 2025. Interview highlights: On her character, Tracy Turnblad Niki Metcalf – In a lot of ways I bring so much of myself to Tracy every night just because she feels like me. She […]
Posted inArts And Culture, Local
New Bedford City Council restores funding for the Zeiterion Theatre
The New Bedford City Council voted Thursday night to restore $495,000 in city funds to the Zeiterion Performing Arts Center.
The money had been cut from the city budget during a marathon council meeting in June.
Posted inArts And Culture, Local, South Coast Bureau
City council vote may decide the fate of New Bedford’s Zeiterion Theatre
UPDATE: During its July 17, 2025 meeting, the New Bedford City Council voted to restore $495,000 to the Zeiterion Theatre Inc. The Zeiterion Theatre opened in 1923 as the State Theater, a lavish vaudeville and movie house. It hosted the 1956 premier of “Moby Dick” with the movie’s star, Gregory Peck, in attendance. But by […]
Posted inArts And Culture, Business, Politics, The Weekly Catch
Payday lending reined in, fish processors face fines for underage workers, and more
Earlier this month, Rhode Island lawmakers finally passed a bill aimed at ending the predatory practices of payday lenders. We’ll look at what the new law means and how it took 15 years to get it passed. Our reporting on underage undocumented children working in New Bedford fishing houses has at least one Massachusetts lawmaker looking at ways to end the practice. Our reporter Ben Berke will describe what he’s found and the response from the fishing industry. On Artscape, a conversation about the fusion of Afro Cuban, Puerto Rican, and New Orleans jazz.
Posted inArts And Culture, Economy, Politics, The Weekly Catch
Local tourism slumps under Trump, highlights of the 2025 RI legislative session, and more
In the 2025 Rhode Island General Assembly session, lawmakers passed a major gun law and numerous bills tackling housing and healthcare. We’ll look into what legislators achieved and failed to get done, as well as what to expect in 2026. Also, Trump administration policies are scaring off tourists. Hotels have higher than normal vacancies, and restaurants are closing on certain days due to low traffic. What kind of summer season will we have this year? Plus, thousands in Massachusetts and Rhode Island will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of Cape Verdean independence this weekend. We talk with two people from our region who are being featured at a national celebration in Washington, D.C. That and more on this week’s show.
