Art as protest, Black Violin, Ally the Piper, and more | Weekend 401: What’s happening in Rhode Island

Heavy metal on bagpipes, art as activism and hip-hop strings? Yes, please.

Wil Baptise and Kev Marcus of Black Violin.
Wil Baptise and Kev Marcus of Black Violin.
Mark Clennon
Share
Wil Baptise and Kev Marcus of Black Violin.
Wil Baptise and Kev Marcus of Black Violin.
Mark Clennon
Art as protest, Black Violin, Ally the Piper, and more | Weekend 401: What’s happening in Rhode Island
Copy

Looking for some tips on what to do this weekend and beyond? We’ve got you covered. Here are a few recommendations from Ocean State Media afternoon host Mareva Lindo.

Provided

Bagpipes like you’ve never heard them: Ally the Piper

Maybe you’ve seen her viral TikTok videos. Maybe you heard her on Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me! If you haven’t: You’re in for a night of classic rock and heavy metal covers on the Scottish bagpipes. Surprisingly fitting!

  • Where: Narrows Center for the Arts in Fall River

Art as protest in the Trump era: ‘When in the Course of Human Events…’

In honor of the 250th anniversary of the U.S., this national juried exhibition features a wide range of visual art that reflects on the personal, political, and cultural moments that shape our collective story as a country – from painting to printmaking to photography, and beyond. There’s work from 65 artists from across the U.S., with a spotlight on Rhode Island artist Susan Hardy-Twaddell. The exhibit will be on view for several weeks, but Sunday’s opening reception is your opportunity to meet some of the artists.

Classical meets hip-hop: Black Violin

Wil Baptise and Kev Marcus of Black Violin.
Wil Baptise and Kev Marcus of Black Violin.
Mark Clennon

This Grammy-nominated violin duo challenges expectations of what defines classical and hip-hop music. The two high school friends, Wil Baptiste and Kev Marcus, have been bringing their music to thousands of BIPOC youth for years, through their Black Violin Foundation. We talked with the group back in 2024.

Lunch & Learn: The Revolutionary Resistance in the Stealing of America

This is part of the Tomaquag Museum’s Lunch & Learn Series, on the theme of “Revolution: Asserting Sovereignty” in recognition of the United States’ Semiquincentennial. It’s a free virtual presentation on Indigenous history and culture, this time featuring Linford D. Fisher, who will talk about this upcoming book “Stealing America: The Hidden Story of Indigenous Slavery in the US.”

A Celebration of Lunar New Year & Women’s History Month: ‘The Spirit of the Place and the People’

"Old & Rusty Tricycle" by Hongbing Tang
“Old & Rusty Tricycle” by Hongbing Tang

An exhibit of paintings by Chinese-born artist Hongbing Tang, a teaching professor of landscape architecture at URI. She describes her watercolors as acts of remembrance, attempting to preserve cherished memories, scenes and loved ones,

Got an event you think we should know about? Share it with us here.

The film features people like Ira Glass of This American Life, comedian and podcaster Marc Maron and Providence-based Audrey Mardavich of Radiotopia
Blain’s latest book documents the contributions of Black women in the national fight for the advancement of human rights
Catch Alan Doyle live, Ballet RI on tour, a documentary on the history of podcasting, and Roomful of Blues celebrating a new album
A new survey shows perceived access drops sharply in Providence, Pawtucket, Woonsocket and Central Falls, underscoring stark disparities across the state
Rhode Island has pulled back its $35M investment, rerouting funds to other projects as the Trump administration freezes offshore wind permitting
A research team at Brown called Breathe Providence is asking people to track what they smell, in an effort to better understand air pollution in Rhode Island