Newport artists featured in Growing the NetWorks Exhibition in Providence (Photos provided by WaterFire Providence)

Good morning, Newport! 👋 Today is Friday, Aug. 15, the 227th day of 2025. There are 138 days left in the year.

Today’s Weather: Sunny, with a high near 81. Northeast wind around 11 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph.

🚨 You need to know

Two Newport artists are making their mark in Rhode Island’s largest summer visual arts exhibition, “Growing the NetWorks,” currently on display at the WaterFire Arts Center in Providence through Aug. 31.

Susan M. Matthews and Claudia Flynn represent Newport among more than 60 artists whose work spans painting, sculpture, photography, textiles and installation in the expansive show. The exhibition builds on the vision of the late Dr. Joseph A. Chazan, connecting collectors, art lovers and the public directly with Rhode Island artists through peer nominations and community connections.

“The strength of our creative community lies not only in its individual voices but in the relationship between them,” said Laura Duclos, director of creative services at WaterFire Providence. “By inviting artists to nominate new voices, we’re expanding the circle of visibility and opportunity.”

The exhibition continues last year’s landmark “NetWorks Rhode Island and the Chazan Collection” show, creating what organizers describe as a living network of creativity and collaboration across the Ocean State. Artists featured in the current exhibition were nominated by their peers, fostering connections within Rhode Island’s creative community.

With just three weeks remaining, visitors can catch the exhibition Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with extended hours until 9 p.m. on Thursdays. The WaterFire Arts Center is located at 475 Valley St. in Providence. A closing reception is scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 28, from 5-9 p.m.

Admission is free, though donations are encouraged. The exhibition is presented with generous support from BankNewport. For more information, visit waterfire.org/growingthenetworks.

Newport artists featured in Growing the NetWorks Exhibition in Providence (Photos provided by WaterFire Providence)

What else you should know

🗓️ On this day in 1969, the Woodstock Music and Art Fair opened in upstate New York; more than 460,000 people attended the three-day festival, which would become a watershed event in American music and culture.

🚔 Two people have been arrested in connection with a road rage incident that occurred Monday evening on Thames Street, according to a press release issued Thursday by the Newport Police Department.

🐎 Historic horse-drawn carriages return to the streets of Newport beginning today for A Weekend of Coaching.

🎥 The JPT will host the Rhode Island premiere of Shattered Ice this evening. Presented in collaboration with Newport-based mental health advocacy brand NOSOLO, the evening will blend powerful storytelling with a shared commitment to breaking the stigma around mental health.

🦈 Speaking of The JPT, the historic theater will transform Newport into Amity Island for a Labor Day celebration of Steven Spielberg’s classic thriller “Jaws.” The week-long event runs from August 29 through September 4, will feature a 4K restoration of the 1975 blockbuster that helped define the summer movie season.

👉 Reminder: The Mount Hope Bridge is now closed to all traffic for a resurfacing project. The bridge will reopen Monday, August 18, at 5 a.m.

🗓️ Newport County residents and visitors can choose from colonial walking tours, live music venues, farmers markets and outdoor activities throughout the week, with highlights including the Hellenic Fest, coaching weekend events and the annual George Washington Letter Reading. Things to do this week and weekend.

📰 The Latest from What’sUpNewp

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📈 Yesterday’s most-read

The following were yesterday’s most-read What’sUpNewp articles.

  1. Two Newport beaches closed due to high bacteria levels
  2. Newport County LAOH names Stephanie O’Hanley 2025 Lady Hibernian of the Year
  3. New luxury condominium community now selling in Portsmouth 
  4. Newport police arrest two in road rage incident involving motorcyclists
  5. Obituary: James Cottrell
  6. Obituary: Steven Hall
  7. Obituary: Jane Wilbur
  8. 78th Annual George Washington Letter Reading to celebrate religious freedom in Newport
  9. Newport City Council approves school regionalization resolution, takes another shot at merger with Middletown
  10. Newport to host 12 Metre North American Championship in September

📅 What’s Up Today

Weather Forecast

  • Today: Sunny, with a high near 81. Northeast wind around 11 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph.
  • Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 63. East wind 3 to 8 mph.
  • Tomorrow: Mostly sunny, with a high near 77. Light and variable wind becoming south 5 to 9 mph in the morning.

Marine Forecast

  • Today: N wind around 10 kt becoming NE in the afternoon. Sunny. Seas 1 ft or less.
  • Tonight: ENE wind 5 to 7 kt becoming variable and less than 5 kt after midnight. Partly cloudy. Seas 1 ft or less.
  • Tomorrow: Variable winds less than 5 kt becoming SSE 5 to 8 kt in the morning. Mostly sunny. Seas 1 ft or less.
  • The coastal water temperature is 75 degrees.

Sun, Moon & Tide

  • Sunrise at 5:54 am. Sunset at 7:44 pm. 13 hours & 50 minutes of sun.
  • High tide at 12:46 am & 1:17 pm. Low tide at 5:54 am & 7:10 pm.
  • The lunar phase is a Waning Gibbous.

Things To Do

Live Music & Entertainment

Newport County Public Meetings

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Ryan Belmore is the owner and publisher of What's Up Newp. He took over the publication in 2012 and has grown it into a three-time Rhode Island Monthly Best Local News Blog (2018, 2019, 2020). He was named LION Publishers Member of the Year in 2020 and received the Dominique Award from the Arts & Cultural Society of Newport County the same year. He has been awarded grants for investigative and community journalism, and continues to coach and mentor new local news publications nationwide. Ryan...