Visual Arts Center of Richmond

Visual Arts Center of Richmond, also known as VisArts, (formerly called The Hand Workshop) is a not-for-profit, 501(c)(3) arts center in Richmond, VA.[1][2] It is located at 1812 West Main Street in Richmond, VA, and was founded in 1963.[3] The organization serves 40,000 people annually and its core programming includes art classes for adults and children, a free admission gallery (True F. Luck Gallery) with at least 4 exhibitions annually, and multiple outreach programs providing arts learning to children and seniors in need. The Visual Arts Center of Richmond has been awarded funding from the National Endowment for the Arts.[4] and is also supported by The Virginia Commission for the Arts.[5]

Visual Arts Center of Richmond
Founded1963
FounderElisabeth Scott Bocock
TypeNon-profit Organization
54-0721433
FocusArts Learning
Location
  • Richmond, VA
Area served
Central Virginia
ProductVisual Art Education
Key people
Stefanie Fedor, Executive Director; Patty Wilkerson, Board Chair
Websitehttp://www.visarts.org
Formerly called
Hand Workshop

History

The organization was founded by Elisabeth Scott Bocock and first operated out of a house in Church Hill in Richmond, VA, in The Whitlock House. In 1985, the Center moved to the historic Virginia Dairy building on Main Street. The organization completed renovations to the 30,000 square foot space in 2008, tripling the size of the facility. The Visual Arts Center is one of the largest nongovernmental arts education organizations in Virginia.[6]

Visual Arts Center of Richmond (Hand Workshop) was housed at 316 N. 24th Street in the Church Hill neighborhood of Richmond Virginia from 1963 until 1978.[7]
  • 1962: Founders and trustees incorporate Hand Workshop. The primary mission was to "provide an outlet for craftsmen of good workmanship; to present to the public the art of crafts through demonstrations and exhibits; to promote and stimulate fine crafts in every way possible.
  • 1963: Hand Work-Shop opens to the public on May 2, 1963 at 316 N. 24th Street, The Whitlock House which was built in 1840.[8] The opening included demonstrations of "the fine stitchery" of Marie Pietri.
  • 1963: First exhibition featuring the paintings of Lindsay Nolting.
  • 1964: Betty Conway Thompson becomes director.
  • 1964: Second exhibition, A Sculptor's Crafts, is presented and includes 70 artists and craftsmen.
  • 1964: Elisabeth Scott Bocock purchases 318 N. 24th ST. building and donates it to the organization.
  • 1964: First craft fair is held with three crafts guilds represented (woodworking, potter's wheel and silversmithing) with a focus on the "contemporary tradition".
  • 1965: Elisabeth Scott Bocock establishes a trust fund to provide $9,500 annually for a period of ten years to pay for operating expenses of the organization.
  • 1966: The Hand Workshop is approved as a charitable educational institution
  • 1967: Salvation Army, Boys Club, Chamberlayne YWCA and Hand Work Shop collaborate to offer classes to Church Hill children and teens.
  • 1971: Ruth Thompson Summers becomes director.
  • 1972: The Hand Workshop has a booth at the Virginia State Fair with demonstrations by several artist instructors.
  • 1973: Hand Work Shop studies feasibility of establishing a school of crafts.
  • 1976: Craft Fair moves to Richmond Arena.
  • 1978: Hand Workshop relocates to 5-7 N. Sixth Street.
  • 1981: Hand Workshop offices move to 1001 E. Clay Street with Arts Council Of Richmond (Decatur O. Davis House, National Register of Historic Places, #127-0177); classes held at Jewish Community Center.
  • 1981: Jan Detter becomes director.
  • 1983: Hand Workshop presents special "Craft & Industry" exhibition at June Jubilee.
  • 1985: Hand Workshop moves to 1812 W. Main Street - all programming reunited in one facility.
  • 1985: Paula Owen becomes director.
  • 1988: Exhibition gallery space doubles in size.
  • 1994: National Endowment for the Arts Chairwoman Jane Alexander visits in recognition of its Advancement grant to the Hand Workshop.
  • 1995: City of Richmond awards Certificate of Recognition to Hand Workshop and others for Fairfield Court Elementary School's arts in education program.
  • 1997: Susan Glasser appointed executive director.
  • 2000: Jo Kennedy becomes director.
  • 2002: Hand Workshop purchases 1812 W. Main Street.
  • 2004: Hand Workshop Art Center collaborates with Virginia Commonwealth University and Carver Elementary School for the public art project, "In Peace and Harmony: Carver Portraits," featuring new work by photographer Wendy Ewald.
  • 2005: Hand Workshop Art Center becomes Visual Arts Center of Richmond and first phase of building renovation is completed.
  • 2006: Visual Arts Center is awarded $250,000 challenge grant by the Kresge Foundation
  • 2007: Craft & Design Show moves to Science Museum of Virginia
  • 2007: Challenge 2007 Capital Campaign raises more than $6 million to complete the final phase of renovation to the West Main building.
  • 2008: VisArts joins the Podium Foundation to advocate for improving the teaching and learning of writing skills and artful expression in Richmond's public schools.
  • 2009: Fresh Ink reading series launches in collaboration with Blackbird, Chop Suey Books, and the Library of Virginia.
  • 2009: Space of Her Own (SOHO) mentoring program begins with partners Friends Association for Children.
  • 2010: Studio S program offers classes to seniors.
  • 2011: Improve and expand the glass studio and create a new letterpress studio.
  • 2012: Ava Spece becomes executive director
  • 2013 : Visual Arts Center of Richmond celebrates 50 years of providing arts learning opportunities to the Richmond region.
  • 2015 : Stefanie Fedor becomes executive director
  • 2018: VisArts adds Vivian Keasler Letterpress + Book Arts Studio and Jim Valentine Clay Studio
  • 2019: Craft + Design celebrates its 55th year

Board of Directors
DirectorDates
Michael Neese Chair
David ShufordVice Chair
Sue Ann MessmerBoard Secretary
Joel RayTreasurer/Chair - Finance
Bruce YoderChair - Development
Katie DeLucaChair - Education
Kate Ackerly
Nicole Bielawski
Marshall Chambers
Zach Hunt
Steven Ridge
Susan Sadid
Frankie Slaughter
Jane Sper
Clare Tilton
Andrew Valerie
Jere Williams
Stefanie FedorExecutive Director

Programs

Classes and Education

Each year, VisArts offers more than 1,000 visual and creative arts classes in clay, wood, fiber, painting, photography, printmaking, glass, metal, drawing, writing, decorative arts and other visual media. More than 150 instructors teach for the organization.

Outreach and Free Programming

The Visual Arts Center of Richmond provides multiple opportunities for the general public to participate in art education and art-making at free events including open houses, Second Fridays and art exhibitions.

The organization has extensive outreach programming, in addition to regular tuition-based offerings. Current community partners include: Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Richmond, Richmond Public Schools, Senior Connections, Peter Paul Development Center, Anna Julia Cooper School, the Faison Center for Austism, Community Brain Injury Services, Hunter Holmes McGuire VA Medical Center, NextUp Greater Richmond, WRIR Richmond Independent Radio, the Neighborhood Resource Center of Greater Fulton, and Virginia Commonwealth University.

Community Partnership programs providing arts learning opportunities include Make Space (formerly a Space Of Her Own), Art After School, Engage, Veterans at VisArts, and Studio S (for seniors)[9]

Art After School

Art After School is an partnership program that engages over 600 young people annually in multi-week classes focused on the visual and literary arts. More than 60 classes are offered throughout the school year (September–May) at the center and off-site partnership facilities. Current partnerships include: the Richmond City Public Schools, Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Richmond, Binford Middle School, Albert Hill Middle School, the Neighborhood Resource Center of Greater Fulton.

Make Space

Make Space is a partnership between VisArts and Anna Julia Cooper School that brings together 12 pre-teen girls and 12 volunteer professional women from the Richmond region who serve as mentors throughout the school-year (September – May). Each week, teaching artists lead activities and workshops that allow young women to explore identity and art-making in a supportive environment. Make Space culminates in a celebratory day when pairs hang the art and craft items created by the paired teams in each girl’s bedroom. Make Space utilizes a leadership and life-skills curricula following the National Mentoring Partnerhship's model program guidelines.

Studio S

Studio S classes provide seniors participating through Senior Connections and Peter Paul Development Center with the opportunity to explore and share ideas in a creative and supportive environment. Participating students are ages 65 and up. Studio S offers a series of visual and literary arts classes designed to enrich the minds, bodies and spirits of seniors in the Richmond community.

Engage

VisArts provides free Engage field trips and art workshops to students and teachers from throughout the region. These art experiences are designed to encourage interaction with the center's concurrent art exhibition through a hands-on station, a written youth education guide, a docent-led tour and a relevant studio project. Engage workshops are available to the general public monthly. Materials provided and docent tours are written to Virginia state and U.S. national learning standards in the visual arts (Standards of Learning, or SOLs).

Craft + Design

Each fall, VisArts organizes Craft + Design, a museum-quality craft show featuring the work of artists from around the country. The event has been held annually since 1964.[10] Awards are presented in ceramics, precious metals, glass, wood and recycled materials, contemporary design, innovative use of traditional craft materials and fiber.  The event takes place the weekend prior to Thanksgiving in Main Street Station’s renovated train shed.

Collectors' Night

Collectors’ Night, launched in 1987, is the Visual Arts Center of Richmond’s most significant annual fundraising event. The 350-person gala is held in every March and includes a cocktail reception, a silent auction and a seated live auction. Proceeds from the event support VisArts’ outreach programs. VisArts—and its contingent of guest curators—works with many Richmond-based artists to produce an art auction that’s full of local artwork.

Exhibitions

The Visual Arts Center of Richmond houses an 1,800-square-foot contemporary art gallery space, the True F. Luck Gallery, which offers several exhibitions each year.

VisArts offers a comprehensive field trip program called Engage for K-12 schools. Engage visits typically include both a gallery tour and a studio workshop but can be adapted to fit the needs of each school. VisArts provides free field trips to students/teachers from throughout the region, that encourage interaction with the concurrent art exhibit through a hands-on station, a written youth education guide, a docent-led tour, and a relevant studio project.[11]

See also

References
  1. Better Business Bureau
  2. Virginia is for Lovers website
  3. GuideStar website
  4. NEA grant recipient list
  5. Virginia Commission for the Arts
  6. Visual Arts Center website
  7. Old House Diaries website
  8. Giorello, Sibella G. (23 September 1997). "Guiding Richmond's artistic force: Hand Workshop director finds right fit". Richmond Times-Dispatch. pp. D1, D3.
  9. VisArts outreach programming webpage
  10. WTVR Antoinette Essa
  11. VisArts webpage for Engage activities
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