artoberVA 2019 Recap!
Photo By Tom Topinka
Our fourth artoberVA flew by; what a whirlwind it was! With 1593 total events, 398 unique experiences and 149 participating artists and organizations, artoberVA 2019 reached far and wide to elevate arts and culture in our region. We’re already overflowing with ideas for artoberVA 2020! But, before we start to think ahead, let’s take a look back at some of the most inspiring moments from artoberVA 2019.
Photo By Tom Topinka
Through our partnership with the Better Housing Coalition, Ram Bhagat and Drums No Guns brought a peace-building drum and dance experience to Petersburg on the first Sunday during artoberVA. We were all invited to take part in a "junkyard jam” where the “junk” = our issues, the “yard” = the work we need to do for healing. Music is a powerful tool to build connection and provide emotional, mental, and spiritual relief. Even the littlest ones were drumming their worries away!
“Our partnership with artoberVA brings artists of all kinds to our communities and helps to lift the imagination of our residents to find joy, to dream big, and, in many cases, to have hope again.”
Stavna Ballet received a CultureWorks Cultural Equity grant to expand their Stavna Reach Program in 2019, which included a component featured in the Robinson Theatre’s Fall Festival in the East End of Richmond during artoberVA. Shannon McConville of Stavna Ballet shared this: "It is amazing how many lives we are able to touch through the art of dance. Our Stavna Reach program is possible thanks to the grant funded by CultureWorks. With their help we are making dance more accessible to under served areas of Richmond!"
Three local artists, Christine Catherine Wyatt, Amena Durant, and Kenneka Cook brought “Affirmative Reactions,” a workshop filled with music, dance, and African history into two Better Housing Coalition communities in Richmond as part of artoberVA. After the second workshop, an eight-year-old boy shared his thoughts with all of us.
“This was my first performance I’ve seen and it was amazing. When you were dancing on the floor together, it was like, when you fall down and another person is kind and picks you up. It’s good to be kind. We should all just be kind.”
Photo By Tom Topinka
Photo By Tom Topinka
In closing, artoberVA would not be possible without the artists, organizations, and individuals who collaborate, create, and share their souls with the people around them during October and year-round. Thank you to every person who creates, bravely, each day.
Also, thank you to every person who sits in the audience, walks through galleries, and gives of their time or resources to support arts and culture in our region. Community-building programs like artoberVA would not be possible without you.
Our hope is that artoberVA is not just a celebration of arts and culture, but a conduit to elevate and unite our region. By digging in to artoberVA, you are enabling our vibrant arts and rich culture scene to thrive!