Furnishing show changes venue

By Paul E. Kandarian, Globe Correspondent

If you're in the mood to see some high-end furniture, travel down to Rhode Island for the 17th Annual Fine Furnishings Show, which has changed venues. After being at the R.I. Convention Center for the past 16 years, this year's event will be Nov. 2-4 at the Pawtucket Armory Art Center. The new venue creates a perfect architectural backdrop and intimate setting for the more than 50 furniture makers and artists from around North America, said show owner, Karla Little.

"Pawtucket is growing as an arts center and destination for art and craft, so we are excited to be part of this movement," she said.

The show is the longest running of three Fine Furnishing Shows, the other two being in Milwaukee and Baltimore, which were held earlier this year. The show offers attendees the chance to buy, order or commission hand-crafted furniture, accessories, fine art and crafts in a variety of styles. Ticket prices start at $10. For more information, visit www.finefurnishingsshows.com or call 401-816-0963.

The Armory, built in 1895, is a hotbed of cultural activities, most notably being home to the Gamm Theatre, an Actors Equity theater company that has won a variety of accolades, including Elliot Norton Awards. The Armory also hosts a media lab, an artist's studio, a community action program and the Pawtucket Arts Collaborative. It's also got a pretty rich history of what it was designed for: Its militia quelled the streetcar riots of 1902 and again in 1922 during a textile strike. For more information, visit www.pawtucketarmoryartscenterllc.com