Museum of Work and Culture Collecting Handmade Blankets for Upcoming Exhibit
Call for Handmade Blankets for Upcoming Exhibit at the Museum of Work and Culture
(WOONSOCKET, R.I.) – The Museum of Work & Culture, a division of the Rhode Island Historical Society, is excited to announce that it is collecting handmade blankets in preparation for an upcoming exhibition in collaboration with Welcome Blanket and Dorcas International Institute of Rhode Island.
The Welcome Blanket is an art initiative started by Los Angeles-based artist and Brown University graduate Jayna Zweiman. In 2017, Zweiman originally conceived of Welcome Blanket as a way to reimagine the proposed border wall with Mexico as 2,000 miles of yarn to be knit into blankets to give to people as a warm welcome to our nation. These blankets, and the corresponding stories of their makers, were then exhibited in order to create spaces in which to talk about immigration issues. Afterward, these Welcome Blankets were gifted to refugees. Since 2017, the project has led to numerous exhibitions across the county.
The Museum of Work & Culture, inspired by the RIHS’s 2024 annual theme Making Rhode Island, which celebrates crafting and creation across the state, will be staging its own Welcome Blanket Exhibit in September 2024.
To participate, individuals can handmake a 40-inch by 40-inch washable blanket and write a corresponding welcome note sharing a story important to their family relating to immigration or relocation. Blankets can be of any medium (knit, crochet, quilt, etc.), as long as they are handmade. These blankets and notes will be exhibited in the Museum of Work & Culture’s changing gallery space in September 2024.
The Museum will accept blankets from January 8th until May 15th, 2024. Blankets can be hand delivered to any Rhode Island Historical Society location, including the Museum of Work & Culture in Woonsocket, as well as the Aldrich House and John Brown House Museum in Providence. Following the exhibit, all blankets and notes will be gifted to Dorcas International Institute of Rhode Island to welcome new refugees as they enter the United States.
Questions related to donating blankets can be directed to bduchastel@rihs.org or 401-769-9675.
About the Rhode Island Historical Society
The Rhode Island Historical Society, the state’s oldest and only state-wide historical organization, is dedicated to honoring, interpreting, and sharing Rhode Island’s past to enrich the present and inspire the future. Founded in 1822, the RIHS is an advocate for history as a means to develop empathy and 21st-century skills, using its historical materials and knowledge to explore topics of timeless relevance and public interest. As a Smithsonian Affiliate, it is dedicated to providing high-quality, accessible public programming and educational opportunities for all Rhode Islanders through its four sites: the John Brown House Museum, the Museum of Work & Culture, the Mary Elizabeth Robinson Research Center, and the Aldrich House.
The headquarters of the Rhode Island Historical Society are located at 110 Benevolent Street, Providence, RI 02906. Information: (401) 331-8575. Website: rihs.org. Follow the RIHS on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.