First IonaFest! Launches To Commemorate Legacy of Iona Dobbins

Monday, September 16, 2013

Tireless advocate of the arts, Iona Dobbins, will forevermore be celebrated at the new RI arts festival that bears her name: IonaFest!

An exciting, public and free event is about to join the Rhode Island landscape: IonaFest, a festival that will celebrate the life and legacy of Iona Dobbins, arts advocate and former executive director of the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts, and her contributions to the arts in Rhode Island. The event will offer arts lovers and revelers a chance to give voice to the value, importance and sheer joy the arts provide to those of us who live in Rhode Island. It will take place on Saturday, September 28, 2013 in downtown Providence.

The excitement will begin at 3:30pm at the Providence Performing Arts Center PPAC, where this great, colorful Ocean State-take on the classic New Orleans “second-line” procession, will wind its way through the downtown Providence arts district to Trinity, to City Hall and on to Grants Block and Roots Cultural Center, with arts and cultural hot spot “shout-outs” on the way. Rhode Island arts organizations, civic leaders, and members of the public will join in the fun as they follow the lead of TEN31 Productions, “living-statue-on-the-move.” At Grants Block there will be performances for everyone, food trucks, and “dancin’ in the streets.” After the performances, a ticketed fund raising benefit will take place at Roots Cultural Center from 7pm to 9pm. (First-come, first-served as space is limited. For tickets go to ionfaest.org)

IonaFest at a Glance

Procession: Starting at the iconic the Providence Performing Arts Center (PPAC), where the public will convene to form a New Orleans-style "second line," which will wind its way through downtown Providence, replete with colorful parasols, dancing artists, fanciful characters flowing fabrics and lively music (think Mardi Gras!).

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Performances: Performances on the stage at Grants Park and in the Procession – for the entire family, by such Rhode Island treasures as Rendition Band (ERB); Project 401; Rhode Island Kung Fu & Lion Dance Club, Mark Taber, Island Moving Company, Folk Arts Fellowship winner Luyi Shao; New Urban Arts; internationally acclaimed Louisiana-born internationally acclaimed singer Charles Williams accompanied by jazz pianist Rod Luther; West African drumming with Sidy Maiga; Ten31 Productions; RI Music Hall of Fame hero, Ken Lyon and Maui Nighthawks, Riverzedge Arts; puppeteer Dan Butterworth, and youth performers from Festival Ballet Providence.

Fund Raising Party: Roots Cultural Center will be the venue for a celebratory party featuring music by Mark Taber joined by puppeteer Dan Butterworth with his specially-crafted “Iona” marionette. The event will include dancing and refreshments, and silent and live auctions, with Rhode Island’s own bon vivant auctioneer, Louis Raymond. The highlight of the evening will be the presentation of the first “IonaFest” “IF” Award.

IF Award: The first IF (IonaFest) Award will presented to Kate Petrie, founder of the Jamestown Arts Center. Kate fit the criteria for the recipient of this award to a “T.” She exemplifies Iona’s fearless and universal love of the arts in Rhode Island, regardless of medium or geographic boundaries and she personifies Iona’s love of art in all media, her great skill at convening disparate artists and audiences, her tireless advocacy for all art forms, and her profile as an honest broker who crossed boundaries everywhere, and was present wherever art was being made, shown or dreamed.

The IF Award was designed by Rhode Island artist, Peter Diepenbrock, who won the commission to create this award.

Schedule of Events

3:30: Second Line Procession participants gather at PPAC. Rain or shine the procession will take place.

4:00: Procession proceeds towards downtown Providence

5:00-6:30: Second Line Procession culminates at Grant’s Park with entertainment. Check site www.ionafest.org for rain changes to venue location

6:30-7:00: VIP Ticketed Event featuring Charles Williams at Roots Cultural Center

7:00-9:00: Ticketed “IonaFest” Celebration at Roots Cultural Center, Presentation IF Award

Who's behind IonaFest?

Each year, the event will be hosted by a different arts organization and represent varied arts disciplines, with the ongoing goal of highlighting all art forms practiced in the state. Funds raised will be split between the host organization and The Iona B. Dobbins Art Fund, supporting all art forms and held at the Rhode Island Foundation. The host organization will receive funds in any or all of three categories: scholarship, program or operating expense.

In this inaugural year, the event is being hosted by the Art League of Rhode Island, for which Iona served as president. Funds raised will support The Iona B. Dobbins Visual Arts Scholarship Fund, established by the Art League in Iona’s name to honor her passionate belief that young artists should be given the opportunity to receive professional training.