NIRVA R. LAFORTUNE, executive director of City Year Providence and a former Providence city councilor, was recently named the new board president of the arts organization FirstWorks. LaFortune has nearly 20 years of experience in education, government relations, public policy, and community engagement and service.
You’ve been involved in many community-driven initiatives. What led you to wanting to become involved in the arts and culture community? The arts have always been a part of my life and my children’s. As a Black Haitian American woman with Afro-Latin roots, I was immersed in storytelling, music and dance from a young age. I participated in theater, choir, poetry and step-team performances, and had the privilege of being part of a group … performing at theaters such as Black Rep, and Rights and Reason. Watching my dad lead his choir and compose songs, along with my love for reading and writing, fueled my passion for the arts.
What are your goals for FirstWorks as board president? My goal is to champion FirstWorks and support its mission. This involves fostering strong partnerships, ensuring financial sustainability and expanding the impact and reach of our programs to engage diverse audiences further. Most importantly, collaborate with the board, staff and community to elevate the transformative power of the arts, ensuring they are accessible to everyone in our state. By doing so, we can inspire, connect and transform lives through the universal language of the arts.
PVDFest is a significant staple for FirstWorks. In what ways are you looking to help expand on the annual city arts celebration? Partnerships are at the core of both the festival and FirstWorks. Expanding collaborations with downtown businesses, artisans, vendors and fostering connections between local and global artists continues to be a central priority and is truly inspirational. With FirstWorks having produced more than 30 festivals in its 20-year history, festivals are truly in their DNA.
Are there other initiatives being created by FirstWorks that the organization looks to launch within the next 12 months? If so, can you elaborate?FirstWorks has some exciting plans brewing. From Ma rch 3-7, we’ll be hosting Egyptian multi-instrumentalist Karim Nagi for a residency. The event will foster cultural understanding through traditional Arab and Muslim music and dance. On April 3, we’ll have the Red Baraat: Festival of Colors. This festival favorite returns with a joyful springtime celebration featuring an indoor concert at The Strand inspired by the Hindu festival of Holi.
Looking ahead to summer, we have even more exciting events. Among them are an expansion of the Summer Beats Concert Series at Roger Williams Park, celebrating its sixth season in 2025 with free concerts at both the scenic Bandstand and the Boathouse Lawn, to align with PVD Food Truck Friday. Plus, we’ll have a reinvigorated Summer Arts Camp for children in grades 6-9 in Pawtucket.
