Thank you for joining us for Open Valley. Save the date! Open Valley (number 2, yeah!) will take place on Saturday, November 7, 2026 from 12:00 pm — 5:00 pm.

Each participating artist, studio, or larger studio complex is invited to do their own thing and make this day their own. Please note we are only including those studios, small businesses, and organizations operating in Valley. Valley is bounded to the north by Chalkstone Avenue, to the east by Raymond Street, to the south by Harris Avenue and Atwells Avenue, and to the west by Academy Avenue. We love our neighbors in Olneyville, Federal Hill, Smith Hill, the East Side and beyond.

sign up!

Sign ups are now open! This is a 5-minute form. Promise!

Friday Sept 04: Start signing up!
Friday September 11: Ideally, most have signed up
Friday September 18: Last call goes out
Wednesday Sept 23: Deadline to make print materials

Have questions before confirming?
Reach out to Ben via events@50sims.com

SKIP TO SIGN UP FORM

the why

Together, we can grow our community, foster collaboration, promote public health, and advocate for improvements to civic infrastructure that benefit all artists, small businesses, and Valley residents.

Despite the ubiquity of the term “Valley Arts District,” Valley is not a currently designated arts district, nor does it have a small business association. Open Valley is a tentpole event that showcases the creativity of The Creative Capital, offering participants increased visibility and voice to ensure future development here happens (or doesn’t) in ways that maximize the quality of life in Valley for as many people as possible. We hope this serves as an opportunity to connect neighbors and make friends, to build and strengthen networks, and for people to see great art.

comms

After completing the Open Valley Participation Form, you’ll get an email from events@50sims.com (within a day or so). After that, expect event updates directly via email. You won’t be over-emailed. Messages will go out around things like printer posters being available, getting ready leading up to the event, etc.

We will also introduce the social media team for 50 Sims, who will follow up to see if you’re interested in being featured on one of our channels. Due to capacity we can’t promise a feature for every participant but, we’ll do our best!

chip in

We’re encouraging participants to chip in what they can. Funds offset the cost of printing, paying artists, photographers, and other basic production needs. No dollars here are going to 50 Sims or OPEN. 100% of funds, less any processing fees, go back into supporting future Open Valley events.

We’re suggesting $25-$50 for those who can swing it; no one will be turned away due to a lack of funds.

When you sign up, just let us known on the form and if you can / want to contribute, we’ll follow up with a digital payment option. Thank you.

day-of

Expect a busy day! Consider having some extra staff / volunteers / friends to help with guest interactions, sales, and to give you time to enjoy the event itself. 50 Sims’ own team will primarily be on site at 50 Sims supporting our tenants. Each individual building is responsible for ensuring there are clean restrooms, plenty of trash cans, cleaning supplies, and whatever else is needed. Talk to your in-building friends and form collectives of volunteers with specific assigned tasks to ensure a super easy flow.

Feel free to get creative with demonstrations, food, drinks, retail, music, and more! Each space offers a unique experience, so make it your own. Or, just kind of stand around and see what conversations naturally arise. Be sure to let us know about any demos or activities in the form.

run of show

This is top-level. We’ll detail performance times soon elsewhere.

11:00 AM
Come by the 50 Sims’ Welcome Center, check in, and grab a balloon

11:30 AM
Please be at your studio so we are 100% ready to go on time

11:45 AM
Have the balloon hung outside your door, indicating participation

12:00 PM
The event starts! People will start making the rounds, visiting studios

05:00 PM
The event technically “ends” but, stay and chat as long as you wish

05:00 PM
Winding down; maybe some fun after-parties =)

maps

Our amazingly talented friend Jules Kang Sharpe over at Binch Press / Queer.Archive.Work is once again hard at work on our flyer / map. Each participant will get a few, and there will be plenty at the Welcome Center at 50 Sims. Due to space constraints, maps don’t list every individual participant’s exact location–we opted to cite some well-known spots, larger buildings, etc The map will contain a QR code that links to our website, and we’re working on a detailed Google Map, too.

Individual studio buildings are encouraged to get creative with exterior signage, from sandwich boards to whatever can be dreamt up.

promo

Digital Promotion

Scroll up top for all the marketing files (coming soon)
We are using the hashtag #openvalleypvd
50 Sims is on IG at instagram.com/50simsri
50 Sims website is 50sims.com
Open Valley site is 50sims.com/open-valley

Physical Promotion

We will have posters pretty soon

Press Outreach

If you have friends in the media you think might cover Open Valley, please reach out to Ben first, and as appropriate we’ll ask for an intro. This includes situations where an outlet may be covering you specifically, with Open Valley as a backdrop. We won’t slow things down, or tell you what to say. Just good to have all this for the archives and future marketing efforts.

weather, parking, ADA

This event will take place rain or shine.

Participating studios and artists are encouraged to arrive early and park as usual; there will be no additional reserved parking.

Each building offers varying levels of accessibility. We will note accessibility details in our marketing materials to the best of our ability. Please make sure we have accurate information regarding ramp and elevator locations, as well as any potential obstructions that could make entry challenging. Please also be mindful that studio standards vary — from pristine to more working-in-progress spaces. If an artist requests no wet shoes inside, we ask that you kindly respect their preference.

DESIGN x RI open studios

Sort of at the same time as we got jamming on OV2, another great local organization, DESIGNxRI, began planning their own Open Studios program for the weekend of November 6-8. We are in touch, supporting each other, and it’s all-good to participate in both! DESIGNxRI is focusing on Providence’s design-forward studios on Friday November 6th and northern RI areas on Saturday November 7, when Open Valley happens. We will be cross-promoting, and are excited there are so many studios locally we need two events to scratch the surface ^_^

Participant Sign Up Form
November 7, 2026

**If you sign up but do not provide an image, we will do our best to find a photo of you but can’t guarantee rounds of revisions or edits!

Photo & Press Policy

We welcome photography and media coverage, including blogs and social accounts. If you’re a professional or professional-leaning media member, please give us a heads-up so we can notify our team and support you.

Please check in with studios, artists, and guests before documenting, as some works may be in progress or sensitive. We also encourage everyone to take breaks from phones, be present, and consider how documenting affects others’ comfort.

50 Sims has two professional photographers capturing Open Valley. By participating, you consent to these photos being used for marketing or promotional purposes across platforms. Mostly, we’ll share them on socials and for event promotion. If you’d prefer not to be photographed, just let the photographers know—they’re kind and will respect your comfort.

Participant info

welcome!