Bob Rizzo Collection of Providence Office of Cultural Affairs materials

The Providence Office of Cultural Affairs was founded in 1976 as part of the Providence Parks Department. The office sponsored performances, concerts, and arts festivals at parks throughout the city, with the majority of its programming focusing on Roger Williams Park in the early years. Over time, the office expanded to oversee a wide range of cultural activities across Providence, including the annual Convergence arts festival, and much of its programming shifted from Roger Williams Park to downtown Providence.

Bob Rizzo, a Providence-born sculptor and performance artist, became the Director of the Office of Cultural Affairs in 1987 and launched the first Convergence festival in 1988. Convergence was an annual arts festival that turned Providence parks and urban spaces into a public contemporary art museum with sculptures, performances and public programming. Rizzo was the curator of art for the festival and also served as director of CapitolArts Providence, a nonprofit organization that raised funds to support the city’s arts programming including the Convergence festival.

In 1996, the Convergence International Arts Festival brought about a dozen large-scale sculptures to the streets of downtown Providence. Some of the features of that year’s festival became parts of Providence’s regular arts scene, such as Gallery Night Providence and WaterFire, a version of which was installed along Waterplace Park and Riverwalk at the 1996 Convergence by artist Barnaby Evans. In 2003, Convergence was scheduled to have its 16th season, but the festival had to be postponed due to budget issues and a major restructuring of the city's cultural programs. It was expected to return the following year, but 2002 was ultimately the final year for the festival. The City of Providence Office of Arts, Culture and Tourism was announced in November of 2003 and it absorbed the city's Office of Cultural Affairs.