The WaterFire Arts Center — Attraction in Providence

I am writing this review to share my experience as a former employee at WaterFire Arts Center, with the sincere hope that it encourages more accountability and transparency within the organization.

WaterFire Providence is widely celebrated for its public events and artistic contributions — and deservedly so. However, the internal operations of its arts center tell a different story. The workplace is not managed by a coherent leadership team but rather by a small handful of individuals who, despite lacking qualifications or experience outside of WaterFire, are regarded as “senior staff” solely due to tenure. This insular culture stifles innovation, discourages critical feedback, and often prioritizes personal loyalty over professional competence.

Former CEO Peter Mello left an ambiguous legacy, and current CEO Barnaby Evans — though a visionary artist — does not seem to take an active or effective role in managing the organization. In practice, oversight is nonexistent. This vacuum has allowed untrained individuals to exert disproportionate influence on hiring, scheduling, and the overall work environment, often at the expense of professionalism and staff wellbeing.

As someone who deeply values creative collaboration and accountability, I was disappointed to experience a culture where open communication was met with defensiveness, and where burnout was normalized rather than addressed. Efforts to advocate for better working conditions, reasonable hours, or clearer expectations were typically ignored unless external pressure forced a response.

I hope this review serves as constructive feedback, especially for donors, board members, and community partners who may not be aware of the internal dynamics. The mission of WaterFire deserves to be supported by a team that is as strong behind the scenes as it...

My first opportunity to attend an event here and though the event was enjoyable, I found myself quite smitten by the eclectic and unassuming products in the gift shop....To be honest, I wandered in there to take a phone call & was pleasantly surprised.

Equally charming was a gentleman playing what is I believe a ukulele outside of the restroom and as I turned left, I noticed the Jonathan Bonner Exhibit... I love art and true to form: A little boy saw a box with a tongue sticking out & I saw the belt my Immigrant Mom used to ensure excellent report cards & inspire higher education in us⭐OR Megan...

Attended an event here. Seemed nice. Decent sized spot. They seem to have a large amount of parking available (but there was valet for the event so I’m unsure of how it normally works) It’s good that there’s like a fully finished entryway etc and then a larger more event sized space (it seems to be a former mill) on the interior. Some parts are not fully finished in a semi cute way. I’m not sure if the event wasn’t planned perfectly or if it was the event space itself but I’m not sure so I won’t include that...