Anyone familiar with NeighborWorks Blackstone River Valley and Woonsocket, knows that the key ingredient to what makes our city special is the incredible community we’re surrounded by. The people who live here are why Woonsocket continues to grow and thrive. This summer, we were honored to welcome the Faces Project to the city–a perfect fit for a community with connections as deep and dedicated as Woonsocket’s.
Faces Project, originally designed to document and honor the people who hold a valuable place in their community, decorates the chosen city with sustainable, museum-quality portraits and oral histories. This summer Woonsocket had the opportunity to work with the group to connect, document and preserve the stories of community members that have lasting ties to the City.
Woonsocket has always been a city built by people. From the mills that powered the Industrial Revolution to the families, artists, teachers, tradespeople, entrepreneurs, and dreamers who continue to shape it today, the city’s greatest resource has never been its buildings — it has always been its people.”
Faces Project
Throughout the course of summer 2026, residents have been invited to have their pictues taken and answer simple questions about their own personal ties to Woonsocket. Every participant has become a piece of a visual archive aiming to capture the heart of the city. Portraits are exhibited as both large-scale public installations–stretching from outdoor galleries and parks to sidewalks and popular gathering places–as well permanent links on the Faces Project website. QR codes link the physical installations to portraits online, where visitors can learn more about the stories behind each subject.
This isn’t about celebrities or public figures. It’s about neighbors — the father bringing his family to a concert, the student with big dreams, the artist creating something new, the volunteer giving back, the lifelong resident who has watched the city change, the newcomer helping write its next chapter. Each portrait represents one voice. Together, they tell the story of an entire community.”
Faces Project
