Mixed Bag: RVA Arts and Culture District "Progress" (?)

First Fridays' Christina Newton responds to the city's proposal for an arts and culture district (unedited version) here.

And... the city takes a step in the arts district direction here- there is much debate about whether this step is big enough, headed in the right direction, etc. (Check out the article's comments.)

It is unfortunate that the city would seemingly ignore important components of the Cultural Task Force's plans: primarily the implementation of specific financial incentives for arts businesses within the proposed cultural district.

The renovation of the Morton building sounds good, but I have to wonder who it's going to attract. Will there be financial incentives and assistance for artists to live there like those offered by DC's Cultural Development Corporation? I'd like to read something where a bunch of opinions of artists who already live downtown are spotlighted. What DO artists think of all of this?

A year ago when CultureWorks brought Theresa Cameron to town to talk to interested parties about planning for arts and culture districts, I was wondering the same thing. What do Richmond's artists want?

Updates: VCA and RVA Arts District

Virginians for the Arts

Are you friends with Virginians for the Arts on Facebook? They often post updates on the state of the arts (funding-wise and more) in VA.

Despite recent funding concerns, Virginia Commission for the Arts advocates are currently breathing a sigh of relief. The Hampton Roads Business Journal reports on this here.

In less encouraging news, Style ran this note a couple of weeks ago: "City: Arts District Will See 'Vigorous' Code Enforcement." This is a "thing that makes us go hmmmmm" on a couple of levels, but maybe we should just be happy that the city's plans to impose regulations on a future arts district mean that the establishment of said arts district is imminent. (?)

Yeah, winning, duh.

Also, have you gotten your RVA Arts tattoo, yet?

Lecture Series at Gallery 5

Gallery 5 and CultureWorks have teamed up to put on a unique series of lectures taking place over the next several months.

You can get more details at Gallery 5's website, the lectures' fb page, and the Hat also wrote a great piece about the event for Richmond magazine.

You Say Tomato Link Monday

Keith Ramsey

RTD: "Darkroom: Photography and New Media in South Africa since 1960" at VMFA and Visarts and "Imaging South Africa: Collecting Projects by Siemon Allen" at Anderson Gallery, video from Art 180's "Paint Outside the Box" event

... and with some ideas for continuing revitalization of the area around downtown's Convention Center

Grid: Cathyann Burgess, Dan Rhett, Michael Mancuso, and Greg Lewis's "Pamlico" now on view at Visual Art Studio, "Wretched Glory" now at Ghostprint Gallery, and upcoming arts events "Monster Drawing Rally" at 1708 and "Band Together for the Well" at Capital Ale House

RVA Mag: The Process with Christian Breeden, Cynthia Camlin's "Glacial Speed" at 1708

Style: 1000 Strong Project's call for artists, on Keith Ramsey's "Diluted Loss" at the Black History Museum and Cultural Center

Richmond.com: Lost Cats Project- social art for RVA

Courtesy of VA Commision for the Arts: Norfolk emphasizes importance of public art to downtown revitilization (video)

Checking in with RVA's Creative Change Center

RVA Artist Dana Frostick on CBS (courtesy of Frame Nation)

CultureWorks' John Bryan comments on Jonathan Weston's show "Human," up now at the Glen Allen Cultural Arts Center (check out CultureWorks' August Monthly Report, too)

Second of August Link Monday

Style: Lana Waldrep's monumental paintings at Page Bond (on view until Aug. 30th)

Grid: Marcie Paper's "Mama Pajama Rolled Out of Bed" will open at 1708 Sep. 3rd and free family events at VHS this month

The Hat on "Reflecting and Collecting" at Linden Row Inn and Craig Pleasants' "Octagonal Living Unit," and with some links about the history of the Pollak Prizes

Great Art 180 events coming up this week, including "Paint Outside the Box Day" and the 3rd Annual Johnny Z Festival

Richmond Public Art Commission info

"The Arts Can Help Our Region Soar"- RTD reports on John Bryan's (of CultureWorks) talk to the Chesterfield Business Council of the Greater Richmond Chamber

CultureWorks' fb page

More from RTD on Jun Kaneko's sculptures at VMFA and on VMFA's new attitude towards outdoor acquisitions and exhibitions

John Bryan Watercolors Opening at Petersburg Area Art League this Friday

John Bryan (of CultureWorks) will have an opening of watercolor paintings this Friday, June 11th, from 6-9 PM at the Petersburg Area Art League. Get more info about the artist and this exhibition at PAAL's website.

Learn more about this traveling exhibition (proceeds to benefit RVA arts and culture) at CultureWorks' website, here.

School's Out For Link Monday

Craig Pleasants' "Octagonal Living Unit 2.0," now on view at Linden Row Inn as part of the exhibition "Reflecting and Collecting." Get more info about this and other works in the exhibition at 1708's website here.

Individual grants for artists from NEA???

Wall street Journal on VMFA

RTD on wall st journal’s article

Don’t forget about innovative arts grants from CultureWorks- TODAY'S THE LAST DAY TO APPLY!

RVA News on Tiffany exhibition

Style on Joe DeRoche at Eric Schindler Satellite Gallery and on 400 years of women in art on view now at the Chrysler Museum

Affordable Art and Job Johnson now at ADA Gallery

Be on the lookout for Visarts' faculty, staff, and board members’ art exhibition to open (at Visarts) later in June

Upcoming Shockoe Wide Open- Friday June 11^th- opening at Whitley Gallery for Kevin Greene

RVA Mag on Yarn-bombing. RVA has a yarn-bombing crew!

Preorder RVA artist Ryan McLennan’s Cost of Comfort at Chop Suey (before July 1^st) or here

I could go on and on on Craig Pleasants’ “Octagonal Living Unit 2.0” now on view near Linden Row Inn and on VMFA

Heather Russell of Russell/Projects will be curating “Homegrown,” a show of Artspace artists for Artspace, opening June’s Fourth Friday

Opening receptions for Lori Esposito and Scott Hunt at Russell/Projects this Thursday, June 10th

Greater Richmond Area Grants for Innovative Arts Projects- DEADLINE JUNE 7th

Need some money for a project you've had in mind? Check out CultureWorks' info on grants for innovative arts projects and apply by June 7th!

Good luck!

Important note (excerpted from grant guidelines):

PLEASE NOTE THIS CRITICAL POINT: For the CultureWorks Grants Program, “Innovation” refers to the process used in creating artworks, and/or the methods for presenting artworks, and/or the methods for engaging the audience. “Innovation” does NOT refer to the artworks themselves. The emphasis is on innovative ways of doing things – not on the innovative nature of the final products.

Projects eligible for Innovation funding are defined by imaginative ideas that stretch the boundaries of conventional thinking; use nontraditional collaborations or program design; utilize new technologies; or promote access for new audiences in ground-breaking ways. The concept of innovation may relate directly to the proposed project, organization, community or the general field.

May Flowers Link Monday

Francisco Amaya at Ghostprint Gallery

Grid on Francisco Amaya at Ghostprint (opening May 7) and on "Repressed V: Free to Speak" at Gallery 5 (also opening May 7)

Michael Berringer and Amber George opening this Wednesday at Page Bond

RAGE on Women's International Juried Photography Exhibition at 1212 Gallery

Community Art Show at Cafe Gutenberg- call for artists

Check out Reference Gallery flickr page- lots of pics from their shows and events!

"Exit Light" opens this Friday, May 7th at Reference

Next exhibition up at Gallery 5

Visarts Art Exchange May 13th- Visarts has a blog now, too!

First Friday this Friday, May 7th

Grants from CultureWorks???

Metric ton of VCU student shows opening in the next week (click the link and scroll down, and down, and down some more...)


VMFA coverage:

VMFA now open 7 days a week

The dress that launched some news blurbs (RTD covers it here)

Style on VMFA

WaPo on VMFA- "Mather's addition elevates dour 1930s museum"

RTD video from and coverage of VMFA reopening

RVA Arts and Culture Districts: Follow-up by Art Works

Plant Zero

Recently, we reported on CultureWorks' developments in discussions of RVA arts and culture districts.

Art Works has information on their blog about what was discussed during the Manchester meeting in which that area's cultural venues met and answered questions provided by CultureWorks (for the purpose of further identifying how RVA culture districts might look and operate.)

Check it out to see how they answered CultureWorks' questions and to get a feel for the next step in this ongoing process of defining Richmond's cultural identity.

CultureWorks updates: RVA arts and creative cultural developments

This week RVAAB attended two meetings led by CultureWorks. The first meeting was a bloggers meeting, and the second meeting took place Thursday night at the Visual Arts Center and was open to the public.

CultureWorks has been busy working to bring the business and creative communities of Richmond together, but how much do you know about this group and what they’ve been up to? Some recent developments you should be aware of…


The Richmond Region Cultural Action Plan has celebrated its first birthday. What is RCAP? Click here to get a slightly more comprehensive view of the Plan, its history and goals. Briefly stated: RCAP sought to determine “how best to take strategic and visionary advantage of the rich array of arts and culture in the Richmond region.” This was determined through much volunteer effort, questionnaires and interviews with arts organizations, practitioners, and others- the data compiled was then used to develop the goals of RCAP. (The entire Plan may be read at www.wolfbrown.com/richmond.)

Why should you care about the Plan? The Plan’s seven broad goals probably affect you and your creative or business practice in some way- click the link to find out more about the Plan and how it relates to you.

__________

Talks about one or more arts districts in Richmond are ongoing. (Click here and here for our previous posts related to the topic, here for some coverage from Style.) Currently a “hub and spokes” model for RVA arts districts is being favored; this would mean that there would be a primary arts and culture district, but there could be others as well that would not necessarily have to share geographic proximity.

Several potential areas for arts/culture districts have been recognized, and each of these areas has been charged with organizing themselves, meeting and talking to determine the needs and wants of their individual areas and how the city might support these in ways other than monetarily.

This has been another recent step towards progress- the City has been supportive of and participatory in arts/culture district talks. (Way to go, Richmond!)

__________

CultureWorks wants to know if Richmonders want to take advantage of services provided by Fractured Atlas (this was the main topic of Thursday night's Visarts meeting). Some services provided by Fractured Atlas include:

-fiscal sponsorship: enables individuals and organizations to apply for nonprofit status in order to participate in fundraising efforts (fundraising efforts can take place online, similar to the structure of DonorsChoose or Kickstarter)

-health insurance and/or liability insurance: liability insurance may be especially useful to artists who, as a stipulation of commissioned works must be able to provide their own liability insurance

-professional development resources: Fractured Atlas offers online courses to assist artists/creatives in the business of making their work

If you have any interest in services provided by Fractured Atlas, it is strongly recommended that you click the links to learn more about them and what they do, and then contact CultureWorks to let them know that you would like to take advantage of these services. OR if you DO NOT think Fractured Atlas would be good for Richmond, CultureWorks would probably like to hear your opinion about that, too.

__________

Visual Arts Center is launching a series of workshops next fall titled “Creativity at Work.” This program has been “designed to reach out to the business community to provide tools and strategies for driving innovation in the workplace,” and there will be 3 full-day workshops addressing this and related topics.

__________

CultureWorks is exploring the idea of “Cultural Shareholders” in RVA- this could be a way for arts organizations, arts practitioners, arts patrons and supporters to stand up and be counted for the many ways we compose the complex structure of Richmond’s arts community. This idea is still in development, but be on the lookout for more information about it in the future.

__________

Have you wondered what’s been going on with the arts website that CultureWorks determined was a primary need of arts practitioners in Richmond? (This is included under Goal V of RCAP.) The most recent update on this is that ways of accomplishing this task are still being explored- could we make better use of something we already have (e.g. ConnectRichmond)? Is there another platform already out there that we could easily adopt (something like your757.com or Artsopolis)? Or do we really need to reinvent the wheel for the sake of a comprehensive online Richmond arts resource?

__________

Wow- this is a lot of information- what do you think?

Have you had positive or negative experiences with Fractured Atlas?

Do we need a Richmond arts website- if so, what would you like to see on it? Do you currently use ConnectRichmond or something else to find out about Richmond’s arts scene? First Fridays and The Creative Change Center are also great examples of arts resources we already have available.

What else would you like to see happening in RVA's arts community?

TONIGHT: Fractured Atlas/CultureWorks meeting at Visarts

(from FDHub:)

The following notice is from John Bryan, President of CultureWorks:

There are two reasons to come to the Visual Arts Center (1812 W. Main St.) at 6pm on Thursday April 8. New York City’s Adam Natale (Fractured Atlas) will be there to present information about the services that Fractured Atlas provides for artists and organizations. (CultureWorks is sponsoring his Richmond visit.) Those services are among the recommendations of the Richmond Region Cultural Action Plan, and at the meeting we will provide a Year One update on the Plan’s progress.

Fractured Atlas is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that was started in NYC by artists. Its range of services has grown and become valued by artists and organizations in other cities. Our Richmond folks do need those services.

I need Richmond-area advice regarding whether we should formally offer Fractured Atlas’ services here. I also need continued feedback/suggestions/energies regarding our work on the Richmond Region Cultural Action Plan.

This important meeting is of course free and open to the public. No need to RSVP. Please help us spread the word by forwarding this e-mail to appropriate persons on your list!

For information call (804) 340-5284.

*ed. note: Fractured Atlas offers health insurance, "fiscal sponsorship," professional development opportunities, microgrants, and more services for artists and organizations. Click the links to find out more, and if you think Richmonders could benefit from bringing Fractured Atlas's services here, come to Visarts tonight to make your voice heard.

March is the Longest Month Link Monday

Richard Roth's show "Perimeter Check" is up at Reynolds Gallery until April 17th

John Bryan writes for RTD about RCAP on its first anniversary

New space in Charlottesville- Chroma Projects Art Laboratory

RAGE on "Fragments of Our Imagination"

Gallery 5 membership information

Studio Two Three blog (RVA printmakers!!!)

Style on "Minds Wide Open"'s savvy internet presence and on "Artists in Exile" at Gallery 5 AND with more on the VA arts' budget cuts

RVA Mag on "Galvanized Monstrosities" at Black Hand Coffee

RTD on current shows at Reynolds

FDHub on "Mourning Portrait," upcoming at Visarts and on April 8th RCAP/CultureWorks/Fractured Atlas meeting

Russell/Projects to host UR thesis show in new Plant Zero ANNEX space

RVA Arts and Culture District...?

Tuesday morning I attended one-and-a-half meetings during the free pre-conference segment of Art Works for Virginia. The morning's session, led by Brain Shull, outlined Harrisonburg's formation of an arts and culture district (Harrisonburg was first in Virginia to undertake the task of creating an arts and culture district- though more areas have followed suite. Check out VA Arts and Culture Blogspot.com), and benefits the area has seen come from this.

The next meeting was led by Theresa Cameron of Americans for the Arts who talked more about arts and culture districts across the country, benefits of the districts, and specific areas-of-concern to be considered during the process of structuring arts and culture districts. More than once, Cameron cautioned that it is of utmost importance to consider the needs of our specific community before determining the guidelines of our own arts and culture districts. (VALAA will be adding information from the conference to its website in the near future.)

Confused? Me, too, a little. As an interested bystander to all of this conversation, I have figured out a few things: first, an arts and culture district is a specific zone that enjoys certain financial benefits (waived sales tax, waived admissions tax, etc.- it can vary from district to district) due to its designation. These benefits are allotted the district with the purpose of supporting artists and arts venues, which in turn attract more business to the area, benefiting the area as a whole. The cry for a Richmond arts and culture district has been raised more than once, but became especially poignant this fall after the October First Fridays/Richmond City Police debacle. It seems the hope of some Richmond venues is that an arts district will make allowances for occupancy restrictions (at least during First Fridays), in addition to waiving admissions taxes- this is an assumption on my part.

After the morning's meetings, I found myself wondering where Richmond stands in the whole arts and culture district process- are we at the very beginning, are we thinking about testing the waters, or have some strides been made? Luckily, the evening meeting sponsored by CultureWorks again featured Theresa Cameron, but this time she spoke about Richmond's progress. It seems that due to the work done on and through the Richmond Region Cultural Action Plan, CultureWorks has information necessary in determining the next steps to be taken, which may be garnering support through the General Assembly (?). BAM has some more info on the fruits of the RRCAP here, which makes me wonder if the next update on all of this won't be made public until April 6th?

There could definitely be some better promotion of these events, as Tuesday evening's meeting was attended by less than 20 people. Surely there are more arts big wigs and "interested bystanders" in RVA than that.

And... based on the RRCAP research, what Richmond artists most want from CultureWorks is "an ongoing listing of organizations/competitions/opportunities that want/need visual and performing arts"? And health insurance?

I still have lots of questions about lots of stuff, and if I have put any misinformation out there in the body of this post, please forgive my ignorance and use the comments to educate me. I am interested in what has happened, who is making the decisions, and what is coming next. So if you know, feel free to share.

We Are All Invited...

Open Invitation to Meeting with National Expert on Arts Districts

CultureWorks is hosting a public meeting with national arts district expert Theresa Cameron on Tuesday, January 26, 5:45-7:00 pm at the Richmond Marriott Hotel at the corner of Broad and 5th Streets. You are invited to attend, and no reservations are needed. The meeting will be held in Salons 2 and 3 on the lower level (There is a statewide meeting on arts districts also – not to be confused.) Theresa will provide brief introductory comments and will then provide her expertise and experience in response to questions from the attendees. Please share this invitation with your constituents and your networks.

This meeting is taking place the same day as the first FREE day of the ArtWorks for Virginia Conference. If we all attend the Tuesday 1:00 "ABC's of Building an Arts and Culture District," maybe we'll have some intelligent questions to ask by the time of the CultureWorks-sponsored evening meeting.

2009's Last Link-y Monday

"House of Clouds" by Nancy Whitt

VMFA acquires work by William Wiley and Fred Tomaselli- also, continuing conservation efforts in the Worsham-Rockefeller bedroom

Style remembers Richmond artist Nancy Whitt- find out more about Whitt here

Notes on CultureWorks/bloggers' luncheon from December 10th

Richmond.com's Arts news stories of 2009

Curated Culture's new downtown location

Exhibitions and talks/events coming to UR museums, starting January 12th

Fool For Art's call for artists (from Lark Studio)

GCCR's call for emerging artist entries

"Uncommon Denominator" opening January 3rd at Artspace

RTD on "The Art of Remembrance" at the Virginia Holocaust Museum

James River Film Festival deadlines fast approaching

Register for Studio School classes at VMFA starting January 4th

Register online for winter classes at Visarts

Holiday Arts Giving

If you are particularly moved by the giving spirit this holiday season, you might consider giving to an arts education program near you.




This website offers many options- from schools in different states, to programs in different content areas. There are quite a few in the Richmond area, and one of the nice things about the site is that you can see the progress your donation is making toward the program's goal.

Or you may want to check out the list of non-profit organizations at CultureWorks' website here- there may be ways to donate by contacting the cultural organization of your choice.

Merry Christmas and enjoy your holidays- see you next week!

Winter Wonderland '09 Link Monday

Josephine Durkin's "Relocation- 6M"

Grid on Chris Semtner at Visual Art Studio and Josephine Durkin at Metro Space

RAGE on Gallery 5's Sleight of Hand

RTD on Hauft's Counter Re-Formation at Anderson Gallery

A new home for Transmission

Artists Anonymous meeting January 9th at Cafe Gutenberg

ATR notes guerilla art downtown

New news on CultureWorks site: "CultureWorks Happenings" and more

Curated Culture news: Richmond.com now official online sponsor for First Fridays AND Curated Culture will have a new base of operations soon.

Elsewhere: The NYT on 94 year old Carmen Herrera's long-in-the-making success

Idea for Arts Council of Richmond/CultureWorks

While we eagerly await an update on what the new-ish team behind the Arts Council of Richmond/CultureWorks has been up to, we had a thought...

Why not produce a Richmond art book?

Richmond is crawling with artists, and what would be a better way to showcase local talent than to put out a call for entries for a Richmond-as-subject art book? The deadline for entries could be in about the next 3 months or so in order to give artists who were interested time to get their entries together or even to create new works specifically for the book. Artists would not have to be from or living in Richmond, as long as their work depicted Richmond: the possibilities for this could be endless- photography, prints, drawings, paintings, digital collages of all things Richmond. From the back alleys of the Fan to the battlefields of Petersburg, surely artists could find a scene to sink their teeth into!

Grab some graphic design and painting/drawing professors from VCU to jury the entries, tap none-other-than local history/arts guru Harry Kollatz Jr or Edwin Slipek Jr. to write the forward and voilà: Richmond culture and fundraiser all wrapped up in one neat little package.

Since CultureWorks director John Bryan has had success in the past with creating a book-for-profit/nonprofit, this could be a project to put the re-worked organization on the map.

Sure, there would be a lot of specifics to hash out, but we think it could be done, and we'd love to show our support for our city by purchasing the final product!

Richmond Culture War Continues...

Recently, Amanda Robinson of Gallery 5 has publicly continued the battle cry against some of the city's anti-culture practices. She calls for community response and input here.

If you'd like to catch up on the backstory, you can check out Buttermilk and Molasses's coverage here. Robinson apologizes for her passionate words here, and this well-written (albeit from May of this year) entry from Save Richmond provides more examples of problems in the city's machinations.

And in reference to the Save Richmond article, how long has the Arts Council of Richmond's website been "under construction"?