At Rhode Island School of Design, you’ll join a creative project that started in 1877

Student crouching and working on a large yellow and green painting in a painting studio.
Wooden architectural model being thrown into sky by one hand.
View of RISD’s main building, 20 Washington Place, at dusk. Building is a mix of traditional brickwork and contemporary architectural elements.

RISD is a college and museum located in Providence, Rhode Island

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Overhead shot of two hands placing blocks on a graphic wooden and painted architectural model.
Image of student dressed in black performing in a white studio space with a laptop, three microphones, two speakers. An orange sits next to the student.

An immersive, cross-disciplinary environment where making begins with a question

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We generate and challenge the ideas that shape our future

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Painting by alum Jon Key of a Black man in a purple suit in fetal position against a red background. The suit is composed of geometric purple squares.
Alum Tanya Aguiñiga in a suit and mask made of flesh-toned neoprene, glass and metal, walking the length of the border wall in the southern US.
Michael Maltzan - Architectural rendering of the Sixth Street Bridge which is made up of a series of arches over the Los Angeles river.
Painting by alum Jon Key of a Black man in a purple suit in fetal position against a red background. The suit is composed of geometric purple squares.
Alum Tanya Aguiñiga in a suit and mask made of flesh-toned neoprene, glass and metal, walking the length of the border wall in the southern US.
Michael Maltzan - Architectural rendering of the Sixth Street Bridge which is made up of a series of arches over the Los Angeles river.
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Upcoming events

a woman climbs a tree overlooking the sea with pink blossoms
7–8:30 pm  |  Apr 29
Visiting Photographer Justine Kurland

The artist known for her utopian photographs of American landscapes and the fringe communities that inhabit them presents the Photography department’s spring TC Colley lecture. 

people voguing at a ballroom event
7–11 pm  |  May 3
Kiki Ball

LGBTQ+ students and allies are invited to this inclusive, celebratory opportunity to express themselves through dance, fashion and performance while honoring the rich history of ballroom culture.

illustration of ancient Egyptian women
2–3:30 pm  |  May 4
Incense and Perfume Making Workshop

RISD’s Taxidermy Club welcomes Brown University archeologist Robyn Price for a talk about ancient Egyptian perfume-making followed by a hands-on workshop using organic essential oils. 

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Civic Engagement and Conversation

Lifting Every Voice

Artists and designers play a key role in building more democratic and equitable societies. From events on campus to resources that support healthy discourse and ethical action, our civic engagement programs offer opportunities to listen, share and learn, and give us a deeper appreciation for how our community lives and experiences the world.

Learn about resources and programs

photo of risd banners across canal walk

Lifting Every Voice

Artists and designers play a key role in building more democratic and equitable societies. From events on campus to resources that support healthy discourse and ethical action, our civic engagement programs offer opportunities to listen, share and learn, and give us a deeper appreciation for how our community lives and experiences the world.

Learn about resources and programs

Latest stories

Hear more about RISD’s community of artists, designers and scholars.

a student glues miniature trees to a large 3D model of a site in Detroit
RISD Students Explore Architectural Futures for Detroit Neighborhood

A spring Architecture studio challenges students to balance private and civic functions, foster inclusivity and champion innovation. 

rendering of the LED-lit painting of queer Black women eating together
Winning 2025 RISD Museum Dorner Prize Installation Centers Queer Black Life

Kailyn Bryant’s interactive painting, The World Is on Fire, empowers viewers to speak their truths, even in the worst of times.

Two student give a presentation
Interior Architecture Studio Advances Social Justice through Architectural Interventions

Students reimagine Providence’s Broad Street corridor as a network of hubs fostering community, employment opportunities, safety and affordable housing. 

a student shows the group how she intends to wire her bobby pin lamp in progress
RISD Furniture Design Students Seek Inspiration for Final Lighting Design Projects

A spring semester studio explores the design process as a comprehensive arc, from research and ideation through development, prototyping and implementation.

detail of a colorful illustration of people walking on the street
RISD Illustration Students Shine in Society of Illustrators Competition

A jury of professional illustrators and art directors selected the winning pieces out of more than 4,000 entries.

faculty member Max Pratt throws a sample-collecting bucket into the Blackstone River
New RISD Seminar Created as Part of Research Partnership with Hyundai Motor Group

Students in an interdisciplinary fall course learn to observe the living world in search of design strategies grounded in planetary health.

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Thank you to all of the artists and designers whose work is featured here. From top to bottom: Bhen Allen MFA 22 PT (photo by Jo Sittenfeld MFA 08 PH), Alexander Kern BArch 21, photo of 20 Washington Place by Bruce Damonte, Kaori Yasunaga 21 FAV, Kunyue Qi BArch 21 & Jen Chenyu Zhang BArch 21, Qihang Li 20 PR, Meredith Binnette 20 FAV, Miguel Enrique Lastra MFA 22 CR, Jon Key 13 GD, Nickole Klarou 21 FAV, Tanya Aguiñiga MFA 05 FD (photo by Gina Clyne), Jackie Oh 22 AP/FAV, Michael Maltzan BArch 85 (image courtesy of Michael Maltzan Architecture), Julia Chien 22 FAV.