Rhode Island School of Design

10/16/2026

“What would you tell young Julie?”

In the latest episode of “It Starts with a Question,” renowned artist and alum Julie Mehretu reflects on advice she would give to her younger self and how “be in it” is at the core of advice she gives to young artists today.

Watch the full episode on YouTube and listen on your favorite podcast platform—https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCaPihEAWY4.

10/14/2026

Film/Animation/Video alum Gus Van Sant has always found inspiration for his characters and narratives in unusual places. He got his start at RISD as a painter but quickly turned to filmmaking and animation, studying under now-legendary professors such as Bob Jungels, Paul Larkin, Marian Marzyński, Aaron Siskind, and Harry Callahan. His films include "Drugstore Cowboy," "My Own Private Idaho," "To Die For,' and "Good Will Hunting." Most recently, he earned the 2025 Campari Passion for Film Award at the Venice Film Festival for "Dead Man's Wire."

Click below to read his RISD .edu interview, in which Gus discusses reinventing his craft with every film and the moments at RISD that left an impact.

Stay tuned for more alumni features highlighting RISD graduates who are shaping culture and industry in bold, unexpected ways.

The groundbreaking independent filmmaker discusses the inspirations behind his gritty characters and the early days of RISD’s film department.

10/09/2026

RISD Craft: Fall 2026 is coming to Benefit Street this Saturday, October 10, 10 am–4 pm.

Featuring more than 120 alums and students, RISD Craft is your opportunity to engage with makers, support local talent, and find unique gifts and one-of-a-kind items.

10/06/2026

Using hot glass working techniques, students in a Glass department studio are exploring ideas that define, present, magnify, and duplicate elements of the natural world.

Students are creating their our own glass recipes to make clear, orange, light blue, and dark blue, glass. Using stacked premade sheets natural materials are embedded between the layers.

read more on risd. edu/news

09/30/2026

Before Textiles majors at RISD can begin designing and creating original work, they must learn to differentiate between the fibers and dyes at their disposal and build a working knowledge of how to use them.

Sophomores in the Textiles course “Fibers and Dyeing” are investigating a wide variety of fibers and processes, including spinning, yarn construction, and natural and synthetic dyes.

Shown: Faculty member and alum Meagan Phipps gives a demonstration to the class.

09/29/2026

Visual artist and Illustration alum Vincent Valdez has been named a 2026 MacArthur Fellow. Known for creating monumental-scale works reflecting on American identity and the struggle for justice, he draws from Chicano artistic traditions that center political and social histories often obscured in mainstream media.

With the announcement of this year’s MacArthur Award winners, Valdez is the 12th RISD alum to have won the esteemed “genius grant” given to individuals with extraordinary talent as an investment in their creative potential.

09/24/2026

Street artist, graphic designer, and activist Shepard Fairey stepped into the limelight as a first-year student at RISD in 1989 with his Andre the Giant Has a Posse sticker campaign. Since then, he has worked to transform urban landscapes around the world with more than 140 large-scale public murals and use his voice to promote social justice, environmentalism, and political engagement.

“[RISD] was incredibly demanding, but it was also life changing.�It demanded that we pull things from ourselves we didn’t realize we were capable of.”—Shepard Fairey

Read the accompanying interview on risd .edu/news, where Shepard shares his thoughts about life after college and lessons learned at RISD that continue to resonate.

09/21/2026

How can collective creativity, collaboration, and conversation surface new ideas, reveal connections, and open pathways through complex questions?

A recent event cohosted by RISD’s Academic & Creative Partnerships and Center for Community Partnerships as part of DESIGN WEEK RI, invited creative thinkers from across the state to collectively explore that question in relation to a series of ongoing, community-focused research projects.

Read more on risd. edu/news

09/18/2026

Through the RISD Trek program, more than a dozen students got a glimpse into what life could look like after RISD via site visits, alumni panels, and portfolio reviews.

“Programs like Trek are very beneficial because they break down a lot of the fear students have about transitioning into being working artists,” alum Graciela Batista explains. “Forming real connections with people who are willing to help can feel like a big, tangible thing that can really aid the transition. I felt delighted to be part of a conversation that I remember helped me a lot when I was in that position.”

RISD Trek is a privately funded program that provides RISD students opportunities to engage with art and design professionals and network with industry leaders, alumni, and mentors. This year’s funding was provided by Santander Bank US who gifted $50,000 to the Trek Fund in support of professional development and networking. In addition to supporting Trek, Santander has generously provided $465,000 of need-based scholarship funding for RISD students.

More than a dozen students got a glimpse into what life could look like after RISD via site visits, alumni panels, and portfolio reviews.

09/16/2026

RISD’s global community broke a record in the fiscal year that ended on June 30, 2026, contributing $32 million in support of student financial aid, teaching, and learning at the college and RISD Museum. The collective generosity of foundations, corporations, and 2,142 individual donors shattered the previous fundraising record of $30.6 million set in 2019. The achievement comes just as the 2026–27 academic year gets underway and RISD celebrates the 150th anniversary of its founding in 1877.

“This is a historic year and a moment to recognize the strength of the RISD community with great gratitude and respect,” says Amanda Clark MacMullan, vice president of Institutional Advancement. “Truly, our community came through supporting RISD’s enduring vision. So many people endorsed the college and museum’s commitment to human creativity, honoring diverse views, and taking an inclusive approach.”

The collective generosity of foundations, corporations, and 2,142 individual donors shattered the previous fundraising record.