Richmond is widely known as an arts and culture city. USA Today ranked Richmond as the #2 City for Street Art and the downtown Arts District as #8 in the country. There are major organizations like the VMFA, Richmond Symphony, and Virginia Repertory Theater. Musicians like Butcher Brown and Lucy Dacus have grown out of a music scene that boasts well-known venues and underground sites. Events like the Afrikana Film Festival, Folk Fest, and James River Writers Conference draw national audiences to the community. Richmond street art adorns our city with vibrant murals, transforming ordinary walls into extraordinary canvases that tell stories of resilience, resistance, hope, and community. Richmond galleries and art spaces continue to exhibit local, regional, national and international top artists with some of the oldest and best non-profit galleries in the country.

And then there are the hundreds of dedicated  artists, musicians, writers, performers, and more keeping Richmond in an international arts conversation.

This collective dedication to craft and community, year after year, has landed us on multiple lists as a travel destination for all the arts and culture the city has to offer.  The recent naming as #1 Best Town to Visit by CNN solidifies what the creatives of this city have known all along. 

The proof is in the data. 

In the Richmond and Tri-cities region, Arts & Culture nonprofits contribute $329.9 million to the local economy. $213.2 million is generated directly by organizations and $116.7 million is generated by audience spending on things like dinner and parking. Moreover, arts and  culture nonprofits support 6742 full time jobs and generate $82.7 million in tax revenue  (local, state and federal).

This artistic renaissance has positioned Richmond as a desirable travel and living destination. People are drawn to our city not only for its aesthetic appeal but also for the rich cultural experiences it offers. This influx of visitors and residents have a significant economic impact, driving revenue and creating jobs. 

Thriving communities are prioritizing ideas around creative economy and the economic impact of the arts. We now come together to invite our elected officials to join us in defining and enacting a vision for arts and culture in Richmond, creating a framework for the creatives and citizens of this city to benefit from their hard work and contributions to the culture, and creating a platform for community-wide participation.

WE NEED:

An update of the Richmond 300 Plan that includes a robust vision for the arts.
A new regional Arts and Culture Master Plan.
To create an independent, cabinet-level Office of Cultural Affairs.
To empower the Public Arts Commission to realize the full Public Art Master Plan.
To establish affordable housing and studio spaces.
Simplified permitting processes and adjusted zoning laws.
More funding opportunities for artists and arts organizations. 
More information about how these needs can be achieved can be found here.

The next mayor has an opportunity to define a city-wide vision for the arts and address these needs. Join us in adding your name in support of the arts in Richmond.