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As Executive Artistic Director Kathleen Pletcher reflects on the 20th anniversary of FirstWorks, her opening line is as fitting as Cinderella’s glass slipper.

Pletcher phrases the nonprofit organization’s work and its milestone as a “vibrant tapestry woven by artists connecting with audiences.”

During the past two decades, FirstWorks has welcomed one million attendees and connected 19,000 students with its festivals, workshops, lectures, arts education programs, and performances.

True to its mission of engaging diverse audiences with world-class performing arts experiences, FirstWorks has been responsible for bringing Ukrainian folk, Southern culture and art, and a diverse summer concert series to Rhode Island. It has also hosted the well-known Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater; a Grammy-winning Cote d’Ivoire singer, dancer and percussionist; as well as performances and conversations to demonstrate the importance of racial justice and the effects of climate change.

In addition, the organization has provided a platform for countless local artists with in-depth residences and technical assistance funds. It’s supplied a stage for puppetry from Indonesia, a Trinidad-born jazz trumpet player, Indigenous dancers, music fusion and unique collaborations, hip hop at its finest, and a year-long project with Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble.

Among its many contributions to the arts in Rhode Island is FirstWorks’ partnership with city leaders and volunteers in producing the beloved annual Providence International Arts Festival, now known as PVDFest. This year, FirstWorks also curated Italy’s eVenti Verticali aerial dance troupe, who captivated thousands as a centerpiece festival spectacle and attraction.

All has been accomplished with the hard work of a small, dedicated staff, several National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) grants, and the financial support and advocacy of the Rhode Island Foundation.

“When the festival [PVDFest] really had lift off and the NEA funding, the Rhode Island Foundation backed that with a seed grant. As an arts organization, the general operating support is so important,” says Pletcher, “…the idea of sustaining this team, that’s really important.”

The funding for general operations has also allowed FirstWorks to have a dedicated person on their team to help ground the arts education programming.

“It’s just fundamental,” she continued. “Twenty years strong. Twenty years proud, but it’s also a really difficult time in this environment with so many needs, and our model of earned income [from performance ticket sales] has shifted. Even with the Festival, I think we are all thinking, ‘How do we sustain ourselves?’”

The organization's vision for the next 20 years, says Pletcher and Managing Director Marissa Hutton, is to remain committed to connecting and showcasing diversity, culture, and the arts within the community.

That’s how you “transform the lives of Rhode Islanders,” they said together.