East Bay vs. West Bay: Which is Better?

Who is artsier?

Both sides of the bay support the visual arts. Who does it better?

Courtesy of Discover Newport

East Bay

Gallery Night: Art Night Bristol/Warren; Newport Gallery Night

Studio Tours: South Coast Artists Studio Tour (July and August)

Gallery-dense communities: Four: Bristol, Warren, Newport, Tiverton

Museums: Bristol Art Museum; Newport Art Museum;  National Museum for American Illustration

Famous artists: Sydney Burleigh (Little Compton);  Felix De Weldon (Newport); Maud Howe Elliott (Newport); Charles I.D. Looff (Riverside); Gilbert Stuart (Newport)

Festivals: Warren Art Festival (July); Tiverton  Arts and Artisan Festival (July); Cultural Survival in Tiverton (July); Wet Paint at the Newport Art Museum (August)

Courtesy Gilbert Stuart Museum

West Bay

Gallery Night: None

Studio tours: West Bay Open Studio Tours (October)

Gallery-dense communities: Wickford, South Kingstown, East Greenwich

Museums: Warwick Center for the Arts; Gilbert Stuart Museum

Famous artists: Gilbert Stuart (Saunderstown)

Festivals: Gaspee Days Art Festival (May); Narragansett Art Festival (June); Wickford Art Festival (July)

Winner: East Bay. Even Gilbert Stuart defected. —C.N.

Who’s readier for their close-up?

Little Rhody has provided scenic backdrops for many movies and tv shows, but which side of the bay has gotten more screen time?

Here are some top contenders:

East Bay
“The Bachelorette,” Newport
The Great Gatsby, Newport
Amistad, Newport
True Lies, Newport
Me, Myself and Irene, Newport
The Discovery, Middletown, Portsmouth
Moonrise Kingdom, Newport

West Bay
Meet Joe Black, Warwick
The Vault, East Greenwich, Cranston
The Polka King, Cranston

Winner: East Bay. They snagged Matthew McConaughey and “the Bachelorette,” ’nuff said. —S.F.

Sources: R.I. Film and Television Office.