UPP Arts Collection

This collection documents the artistic, administrative, and educational activities of UPP Arts.The materials in this collection reflect a decade of interdisciplinary collaborations between artists, educators, students, and community members who used place-based art to celebrate and build awareness for Providence’s urban ponds. Their work focused particularly on Mashapaug Pond and its environs, which include the site of the Gorham Manufacturing Company and the former West Elmwood neighborhood.
This collection is part of Providence Public Library Digital Collections, hosted by Providence Public Library.

Items in this collection

Dancers in costume

Dancers in costume

Providence Public Library

Dancers in handmade fish costumes during a benefit concert for the Urban Pond Procession in 2010.

Course outline for Urban Waters workshops at Alvarez High School

Course outline / lesson plan for the "Urban Waters" workshops series for AP Environmental Science classes at Alvarez High School in partnership with the Environmental Justice League. The workshop series in Fall 2012 in coordination with the Urban Pond Procession.

Comparison of old and new Mashapaug Pond sign designs

A comparison of the old signage for Mashapaug Pond and the new design by Holly Ewald and Andrew Oesch with student artwork. The updated poster is shown hung on the fencing around the perimeter of the pond.

Community Preparatory School Wishing Fence project

Students adding wishes to the Installation of the Wishing Fence at Mashapaug Pond. The Wishing Fence was an art installation by students at the Community Prepatory School in Providence.

Community Preparatory School Wishing Fence project

Students adding wishes to the Installation of the Wishing Fence at Mashapaug Pond. The Wishing Fence was an art installation by students at the Community Prepatory School in Providence.

Buddhist monks bless the Mashapaug Pond Procession

Buddhist monks of Wat Thorikaram temple at 177 Hanover Street in Providence bless the start of the first Mashapaug Pond Procession. The group includes adults and children with a glimpse of fish costumes in the foreground.

Beacon sculpture images 2014

Beacon sculpture images 2014

Providence Public Library

Image of the Beacon Lighthouse sculpture created by Kristina Brown during her artist residency for UPP Arts in 2014. Brown works to prepare to launch the sculpture from the Mashapaug Pond boat ramp.

Beacon sculpture images 2014

Beacon sculpture images 2014

Providence Public Library

Image of the Beacon Lighthouse sculpture created by Kristina Brown during her artist residency for UPP Arts in 2014. The sculpture is shown lit up at night while floating in Mashapaug Pond.

Beacon sculpture images 2014

Beacon sculpture images 2014

Providence Public Library

Detail view of the special objects donated by community members to artist Kristina Brown and included on the Beacon Lighthouse sculpture for Mashapaug Pond.

Beacon sculpture images 2014

Beacon sculpture images 2014

Providence Public Library

Two students from Alvarez High School talk with UPP resident artist Kristina Brown as she constructs the Beacon Lighthouse sculpture for Mashapaug Pond in 2014.

Annie Valk and Mike Freeman

Annie Valk and Mike Freeman

Providence Public Library

Prof. Anne Valk from Brown University and Mike Freeman, who grew up in the West Elmwood neighborhood look at a map during the opening of the Shadows and Sounds art installation. The installation interpreted the history of the neighborhood of West Elmwood that was in demolished during urban redevelopment for an industrial park in 1962 and was created by students at the John Nicholas Brown Center at Brown University.