A visionary, Pletcher developed FirstWorks into RI’s premier artistic platform
PROVIDENCE, RI – After more than two decades of visionary leadership, Kathleen Pletcher, Founder and Executive Artistic Director of FirstWorks, has announced her decision to depart from the nonprofit organization at the end of the year. FirstWorks has long enriched Rhode Island’s cultural, educational, and economic vitality through world-class performing arts and education.
“Kathleen has been the visionary force in shaping FirstWorks from its early days into a cornerstone of Rhode Island’s arts and cultural landscape,” said FirstWorks Board President Nirva R. LaFortune. “We are deeply grateful for her dedication, creative leadership, and countless contributions that have inspired and enriched our communities. This moment not only honors her extraordinary legacy but also marks an exciting and important step forward opening the door to a bold new chapter for FirstWorks and its continued impact in our state.”
Founded in 2004, Pletcher has grown FirstWorks from a $15,000 start-up into a $2 million organization that employs hundreds of local and national artists annually. She launched the organization with a bold strategy to transform a one-night festival into a year-round arts engine, and created a unique city/private partnership that became PVDFest, Providence’s signature celebration of arts and culture.
Pletcher has brought world-class artistry and transformative experiences to Rhode Island. She introduced audiences to global innovators and presented the state’s first performances by companies like Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and the Joffrey Ballet. Under her leadership, FirstWorks has staged 35 festivals with unforgettable spectacles, forged groundbreaking collaborations with artists from Daniel Bernard Roumain to Yo-Yo Ma’s Silk Road Ensemble, and launched a robust digital stage during COVID. Her vision guided FirstWorks in building a reputation for transforming public spaces into vibrant cultural gathering places.
Away from the stage and its spotlight, FirstWorks has also partnered with nearly 100 schools and local organizations, providing unique educational programs and exposure to the arts across RI’s communities.
“I’m incredibly proud of what we have been able to build and the many artistic collaborations we’ve forged for Rhode Island. We haven’t just put on performances; we’ve created cultural gatherings of connection and community,” Pletcher said. “We’ve fearlessly met audiences in theaters, schools, parks, plazas—even turning skyscrapers into dance stages—introducing diverse audiences to transformative experiences. Working with some of the most extraordinary artists on the planet, FirstWorks has made art a vital force for change across the state.”
Pletcher is leading a vibrant season of milestone projects in 2025. FirstWorks recently presented its free Summer Beats concert series, showcasing artists from around the globe and, for the first time, expanding into Central Falls. In August, Cape Verdean sensation Elida Almeida joined local favorite Chachi Carvalho for a landmark performance in Jenks Park that drew an enthusiastic crowd of 1,300.
This fall, she will help steer the 11th PVDFest on September 5–6 and present Silkroad Ensemble featuring pipa virtuoso Wu Man in “American Railroad” on November 9 at THE VETS. Pletcher will conclude her tenure at the end of 2025 and looks forward to pursuing new artistic ventures.
About FirstWorks
FirstWorks is a non-profit based in Providence, Rhode Island whose purpose is to build the cultural, educational and economic vitality of its community by engaging diverse audiences with world-class performing arts and education programs. Now entering its 22nd year, FirstWorks festivals, performances and programs have attracted more than one million participants since its founding in 2004. Reaching students in school districts across the state, FirstWorks has impacted over 23,000 youth through transformative arts education experiences. FirstWorks is the founding partner of PVDFest and has collaborated with the City of Providence to curate and produce the City’s free, signature arts celebration since 2015. Embracing collaboration, FirstWorks has fostered over 90 community partnerships across business and social service sectors. Across its 2024-25 season, FirstWorks produced over 60 events, employed more than 400 artists, and reached upwards of 3,300 Rhode Island youth. Visit firstworks.org to learn more.
Photo caption: FirstWorks Founding Executive Artistic Director Kathleen Pletcher and artist/designer Machine Dazzle marching as Grand Marshals in the PVDFest 2019 procession. Photo by Erin X. Smithers
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